pick someone's brain

verb

To seek information from someone knowledgeable; to ask questions of someone.

“After I spent a couple of hours picking his brain, his scheme started to make sense.”

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Meanings

verbpick someone's brain (third-person singular simple present picks someone's brain, present participle picking someone's brain, simple past and past participle picked someone's brain)

present singular third person picks someone's brain · participle present picking someone's brain · participle past picked someone's brain · past picked someone's brain

  1. idiomaticTo seek information from someone knowledgeable; to ask questions of someone.

    After I spent a couple of hours picking his brain, his scheme started to make sense.

Translations

Spanish sonsacarle información, saconearle el conocimiento
  • sonsacarle informaciónTranslations
  • saconearle el conocimientoTranslations
  • ganzuarle la conocenciaTranslations
Cite this entry
APA

pick someone's brain. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pick%20someone's%20brain

MLA

“pick someone's brain.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pick%20someone's%20brain. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “pick someone's brain,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pick%20someone's%20brain.

Source: pick someone's brain on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.