From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishpicnicpic‧nic1 /ˈpɪknɪk/ ●●● S3 noun [countable] 1 
DFMEALif you have a picnic, you take food and eat it outdoors, especially in the country We decided to have a picnic down by the lake.go on/for a picnic We could go on a picnic today. a picnic table There is free parking for visitors, as well as a restaurant and picnic area (=a special area with tables where people can have a picnic).picnic site/spot/place (=a place that is suitable or pleasant for a picnic) We found a lovely picnic spot by the river.picnic basket/hamper (=a container in which you can carry food for a picnic) ► Don’t say ‘do a picnic’ or ‘make a picnic’. Say have a picnic.2 DF British English the food that you take to eat outdoors on a picnic We’ll take a picnic with us.picnic lunch/tea/supper We ate our picnic lunch by the river.3 → be no picnicCOLLOCATIONSverbshave a picnicThey were having a picnic on the beach.go on/go for a picnicIf it’s fine, we’ll go for a picnic.picnic + NOUNa picnic area/site (=a special area with tables where people can have picnics)There is a picnic area next to the car park.a picnic spot/place (=a place that is suitable for a picnic)We found a beautiful picnic spot.a picnic tablea picnic basket/hamper (=a container in which you carry food for a picnic)
DFMEALif you have a picnic, you take food and eat it outdoors, especially in the country We decided to have a picnic down by the lake.go on/for a picnic We could go on a picnic today. a picnic table There is free parking for visitors, as well as a restaurant and picnic area (=a special area with tables where people can have a picnic).picnic site/spot/place (=a place that is suitable or pleasant for a picnic) We found a lovely picnic spot by the river.picnic basket/hamper (=a container in which you can carry food for a picnic) ► Don’t say ‘do a picnic’ or ‘make a picnic’. Say have a picnic.2 DF British English the food that you take to eat outdoors on a picnic We’ll take a picnic with us.picnic lunch/tea/supper We ate our picnic lunch by the river.3 → be no picnicCOLLOCATIONSverbshave a picnicThey were having a picnic on the beach.go on/go for a picnicIf it’s fine, we’ll go for a picnic.picnic + NOUNa picnic area/site (=a special area with tables where people can have picnics)There is a picnic area next to the car park.a picnic spot/place (=a place that is suitable for a picnic)We found a beautiful picnic spot.a picnic tablea picnic basket/hamper (=a container in which you carry food for a picnic) Examples from the Corpus
picnic• This isn't going to be a picnic, if I know the press.• It was a beautiful day - we had a picnic by the river.• Let's have a picnic Sunday afternoon.• Pack a picnic lunch and head for the country.• Some campgrounds provide a picnic table right outside your door.• We took a picnic down to the beach.• Since then much has been done to improve and protect the area including a new information and exhibition centre and picnic areas.• They were easy, scenic and had plenty of beautiful picnic spots.• Until there we are on the bare boards downstairs, with candles and Calorgas and a deli picnic on a paper plate.• Wherever this train will go on its next run, there will be open space for picnics and baseball.• We ended up buying a cheap gas picnic stove for which cartridges were sold everywhere - and luckily it did us proud.• Climb to the summit of even an inaccessible peak and you will find a jolly picnic party already up there before you.• In summer, we sometimes go on picnics together.• You can see families on outings alongside the drive below you, looking like ants at their own picnic.have ... picnic• Walk the farm and orchards trails and have a picnic under the apple trees.• Its grounds have picnic areas, river boats, swimming pools and playgrounds.• It was there in order that people might have a picnic by a monument, on just such a day as this.• I was just going to have a picnic.take ... picnic• Break your journey, take a picnic, or follow a way-marked walk.• Sara and Jenny arrived just before lunch at Moorlake, taking a picnic meal with them.picnicpicnic2 verb (picnicked, picnicking) [intransitive] DFMEALto have a picnic We picnicked on the beach. —picnicker noun [countable] The area is very popular with picnickers.→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
picnic• A few miles outside Idar I found a meadow by the side of the Nahe where I could picnic.• There were also numerous places at which to eat, and places to picnic, and wonderful car parking arrangements.• Perhaps they used to picnic here, Sabine thought.• There are pleasant waterside and wooded areas to picnic in and extensive play areas for children.• A family picnics in the grass.• Several young couples were picnicking on the beach.Origin picnic1 (1700-1800) French pique-nique 