pick at vs eat

pick at and eat both are verbs.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
pick at	No	No	Yes	No
eat	No	No	Yes	No

As verbs, eat is a hypernym of pick at; that is, eat is a word with a broader meaning than pick at:

pick at (verb)	eat (verb)
express a negative opinion of	cause to deteriorate due to the action of water, air, or an acid
eat like a bird	take in solid food
pluck or pull at with the fingers	eat a meal; take a meal
	take in food; used of animals only
	use up (resources or materials)
	worry or cause anxiety in a persistent way