peck away <at> something (2025)

Hi.
Could you explain to me the difference between '

sth' and '

at sth'?
the former doesn't have at, while the latter does.

e.g.
The bird is

crumbs.
The bird is

at crumbs.

Thank you for your answer in advance.

It’s not a good example, since “pecking away crumbs” is a most unlkely thing to say. It implies pecking crumbs to remove them. But in terms of the addition of “at”:

In a transitive use of a verb, it takes a direct object.

The bird pecked a hole in the fruit.​

In an intransitive use of a verb, it needs a preposition to join the action to the object.

The bird pecked at the fruit, making a hole in it.​

The Newt said:

Both are possible, although the second seems more likely. The first refers to the bird as removing the crumbs (and eating them).

Click to expand...

thank you!

> The first refers to the bird as removing the crumbs (and eating them).
Then how about the second? it sounds like just eating the crumbs?

lingobingo said:

It’s not a good example, since “pecking away crumbs” is a most unlkely thing to say. It implies pecking crumbs to remove them. But in terms of the addition of “at”:

In a transitive use of a verb, it takes a direct object.

The bird pecked a hole in the fruit.​

In an intransitive use of a verb, it needs a preposition to join the action to the object.

The bird pecked at the fruit, making a hole in it.​

Click to expand...

thank you!

You mean, 'peck' as a transitive verb comes with the result that will be/is/has been happened by the action 'pecking',
while 'peck at' as an intransitive verb comes with the target that will be/is/has been influenced by the action 'pecking'?
Did I understand correctly?

qpqpqp said:

thank you!

> The first refers to the bird as removing the crumbs (and eating them).
Then how about the second? it sounds like just eating the crumbs?
[...]

Click to expand...

Yes, picking up and eating the crumbs. "Away" in "pecking away at" simply conveys a sense that the bird is doing it without inhibition.

The Newt said:

Yes, picking up and eating the crumbs. "Away" in "pecking away at" simply conveys a sense that the bird is doing it without inhibition.

Click to expand...

Oh, I understood it! Thank you for your kind answer!

I would only add that "peck" (verb) has other meanings. In humans we give a "peck on the cheek", which is a quick and informal kiss.

Humans peck at their food which is nibbling or picking at it and consuming little.

I assume that these meanings are derived from the pecking action of birds--but I have no documentation to back that up.

And while Woodpeckers perform a machine-gun like pecking, in the world of dangerous birds, the damage is almost universally done with their legs. Some with fatal resolutions (the human dies; not the bird).

qpqpqp said:

You mean, 'peck' as a transitive verb comes with the result that will be/is/has been happened by the action 'pecking',
while 'peck at' as an intransitive verb comes with the target that will be/is/has been influenced by the action 'pecking'?
Did I understand correctly?

Click to expand...

I really don’t think so. It’s not even clear what you mean by that. You seem to be confusing transitive and intransitive with active and passive?