Never heard it used that maliciously. "Picking on" always ranged from playful flirting to mild intimidation, or 'button-pushing'. Any actual violence, or grave

Never heard it used that maliciously. "Picking on" always ranged from playful flirting to mild intimidation, or 'button-pushing'. Any actual violence, or grave threat of such, is never called by that term. That would be considered making light of the situation without doubt imho. Just some perspective, I have lived all over north america.