perk up

perk ¹  (pûrk)

v. perked, perk·ing, perks

v.intr.

1. To stick up or jut out: dogs' ears that perk.

2. To carry oneself in a lively and jaunty manner.

v.tr.

To cause to stick up quickly: The dog perked its ears at the noise.

adj.

Perky.

Phrasal Verb:

perk up

1. To regain or cause to regain one's good spirits or liveliness.

2. To refresh the appearance of: New furniture and paint perked up the room.

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[Possibly Middle English perken, to perch, from perk, rod, perch, probably from Medieval Latin perca and from Old French perche, perce, both from Latin pertica, rod; see perch¹.]

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perk ²  (pûrk)

n. Informal

A perquisite: "Temper tantrums over perks are more common than the American taxpayer might like to believe" (Maureen Dowd).

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[Shortening and alteration of perquisite.]

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perk ³  (pûrk)

intr.v. perked, perk·ing, perks Informal

To percolate: The coffee was perking on the stove.

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perk up

vb (adverb)

1. to make or become more cheerful, hopeful, or lively

2. to rise or cause to rise briskly the dog's ears perked up

3. (tr) to make smarter in appearance she perked up her outfit with a bright scarf

4. (intr) Austral slang to vomit

[C14 perk, perhaps from Norman French perquer; see perch¹]

Thesaurus

Verb	1.	perk up - gain or regain energy; "I picked up after a nap" gain vigor, perk, percolate, pick up convalesce, recover, recuperate - get over an illness or shock; "The patient is recuperating"
	2.	perk up - cause to be alert and energetic; "Coffee and tea stimulate me"; "This herbal infusion doesn't stimulate" energize, energise, stimulate, arouse, brace affect - act physically on; have an effect upon; "the medicine affects my heart rate" cathect - inject with libidinal energy reanimate, recreate, revivify, vivify, revive, renovate, animate, quicken, repair - give new life or energy to; "A hot soup will revive me"; "This will renovate my spirits"; "This treatment repaired my health" reinvigorate, invigorate - impart vigor, strength, or vitality to; "Exercise is invigorating" liven, liven up, enliven, invigorate, animate - make lively; "let's liven up this room a bit"

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perk up

verb cheer up, recover, rally, revive, look up, brighten, take heart, recuperate, buck up (informal) She perked up and began to laugh.

perk something or someone up liven someone up, revive someone, cheer someone up, pep someone up A brisk stroll will perk you up.

Translations

? perk up

vt sep

(= lift) head → heben; he perked up his ears (dog, person) → er spitzte die Ohren

to perk somebody up (= make lively: coffee etc) → jdn aufmöbeln (inf) → or munter machen; (= make cheerful: visit, idea etc) → jdn aufheitern; she perked up her outfit with a bright scarf → sie peppte ihre Kleidung mit einem hellen Schal auf (inf)

vi (= liven up: person, party) → munter werden; (= cheer up) → aufleben; (= become interested) → hellhörig werden; his ears perked up → er spitzte seine Ohren

perk up

1. vt + adv (cheer up) → tirar su di morale
he tried to perk up her appetite → cercava di stimolarle l'appetito

2. vi + adv (cheer up) → tirarsi su di morale; (show interest) → animarsi
the dog's ears perked up → il cane drizzò le orecchie