1 C1 neutral
to lift small seedlings from a seed tray and replant them farther apart
"Once the second leaves appear, prick out the seedlings into individual pots."
separable
prick out
C1 neutral separable transitive
to separate and replant young seedlings, or to mark a design with small holes
In plain English
to move tiny plants apart so they have more room, or make tiny holes to copy a pattern
What does "prick out" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 C1 neutral
to make a row of tiny holes to transfer or mark a pattern
"She pricked out the outline before dusting charcoal through the paper."
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
Literally, to pierce something outward or remove by pricking.
Actually means
to move tiny plants apart so they have more room, or make tiny holes to copy a pattern
Usage tip
Mainly used in gardening and crafts; uncommon in everyday speech.
Words that pair with "prick out"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
seedlings plants lettuce pattern design outline
How to conjugate "prick out"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
prick out
I/you/we/they
3rd person
pricks out
he/she/it
Past simple
pricked out
yesterday
Past participle
pricked out
have + pp
-ing form
pricking out
continuous
Hear "prick out" in the wild
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Other ways to say "prick out"
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