noun

picket

picket, protester, stake, post

The workers formed a picket outside the gate.

The workers formed a picket outside the gate.

He painted the white picket fence.

He painted the white picket fence.

((a picket)) a protester or group of protesters A picket was set up by the union.

((a picket)) a pointed stake used for a fence The garden was enclosed by a picket.

Synonyms: protester, striker, stake, post

From French 'piquet', diminutive of 'pic' (pike, pickaxe), originally meaning a pointed stake. The protest meaning evolved from military picket duty.

Picture protesters 'picking' a fight with their employer, or a fence made of pointed stakes you could 'pick' things with.

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