perk up

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of perk up¹

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

Idioms and Phrases

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]

Example Sentences

"The governor left and Simon fell asleep again in a second after perking up for 15 minutes, which I didn’t think he would manage."

From BBC

The cashier perked up when asked about the mushroom products.

From Los Angeles Times

After the war, the pleasure pier perks up into life once again.

From Los Angeles Times

Asked whether he wanted the job permanently, a clearly deflated Hiller perked up.

From Los Angeles Times

“People don’t just drink for flavor. It helps people socialize, helps people unwind, helps people perk up. So we thought we could do that really well by coming at it from a new angle.”

From Seattle Times

Related Words

• brighten
• mend
• take heart