But these men were a taciturn lot , picking their words carefully.是什么意思？

But these men were a taciturn lot , picking their words carefully.

但是这些人都是沉默寡言的人, 说起话来字斟句酌,非常谨慎.

but

conj. 但是，而是，除了，只因为；prep. 除…以外；adv. 只，不过，只是，另一方面；n. 借口，推辞，但是，反对；pron. [关系代词，意义相当于 who…not, which…not]；vt. 对…说“但是”；

例句
English food can be wonderful but the normal English diet is abominable.
英国也有美食，只是一般的日常饮食太过糟糕。

these

adj. 这些的；pron. 这些；

例句
There's lots of money about these days for schemes like this.
近来这类计划资金充足。

men

n. 人( man的名词复数 )，人类，男人，男子汉；

例句
Many men still have difficulty accepting a woman as a business partner...
许多男性仍然无法接受女性商业伙伴。

were

be的过去时复数和第二人称单数形式，有时代替 was,用于条件从句、动词 wish 之后等；

例句
Shops, houses, and vehicles were set ablaze.
店铺、房子和车辆全都陷于火海。

taciturn

adj. 沉默寡言的，不爱说话的；

例句
...a dour, taciturn man...
冷冰冰、不苟言笑的男子

lot

n. 份额，许多，命运，阄；adv. （与形容词和副词连用）很，非常，（与动词连用）非常；pron. 大量，许多；vt. 分组，把…划分（常与out连用），把（土地）划分成块；vi. 抽签，拈阄；

例句
I spend a lot on expensive jewelry and clothing...
我花很多钱购买昂贵的首饰和衣服。

picking

v. 采摘，采( pick的现在分词 )，摘，啄，

例句
Molly had cringed when Ann started picking up the guitar...
安开始弹吉他时，莫莉感到有些难堪。

their

pron. 他（她，它）们的，在提及性别不详的人时，用以代替 him 或 her；

例句
Their permissiveness toward their children reflects the wild abandon of their own lives.
他们对孩子的放任折射出他们自身生活的放浪形骸。

words

n. 字( word的名词复数 )，（说的）话，诺言，口令；

例句
She felt as if his words had granted her absolution.
她感觉他的那番话好似给她下了道赦令。

carefully

adv. 小心谨慎地，警惕地，仔细地，周密地；

例句
All through lunch he had carefully avoided the subject of the house.
整个午饭期间，他一直在小心翼翼地回避房子的话题。