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Synonyms

perk up

British  

verb

  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. slang (intr) to vomit

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
perk up Idioms  

  1. Restore to good spirits, liveliness, or good appearance, as in You're exhausted, but a cup of tea will perk you up, or The flowers perked up the whole room. [Mid-1600s]

Etymology

Origin of perk up

C14 perk, perhaps from Norman French perquer; see perch 1

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

A little lemon zest can perk up even the simplest of dishes, like scrambled eggs.

From Salon

I perked up like our old hens did when a chicken hawk came flying around.

From Literature

At a Ford dealership in Canton, Ohio, lube tech Brandon Burgardt perks up when he sees a Ford Fusion coming through for an oil change.

From The Wall Street Journal

The girl’s eyebrows perked up and she leaned in like she’d been waiting her whole life for an adventure.

From Literature

Sales of gold bars have perked up amid the dip in gold prices, but customers overall are still cautious, according to Hong.

From The Wall Street Journal

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.