Pronunciation: /pɜːrk ʌp/

Definitions of perk up

verb to become more lively or cheerful

Example Sentences

A1 I perk up when I see my favorite food.

A2 She perks up every time her favorite song comes on the radio.

B1 Listening to music always perks me up after a long day at work.

B2 A cup of coffee in the morning never fails to perk me up.

C1 Exercise is a great way to perk up both your body and mind.

C2 Traveling to new places always perks me up and inspires me.

adverb in a manner that makes someone more lively or cheerful

Example Sentences

A1 The puppy perked up when it heard its owner's voice.

A2 I always perk up after a good night's sleep.

B1 Having a cup of coffee in the morning helps me perk up for the day ahead.

B2 The music at the party really perked up the atmosphere.

C1 A good book can always perk me up when I'm feeling down.

C2 The team's performance perked up significantly after the coach's pep talk.

Examples of perk up in a Sentence

formal After receiving positive feedback from her boss, she began to perk up and show more enthusiasm at work.

informal I noticed that my friend started to perk up once she heard her favorite song playing on the radio.

slang I'll bring some coffee to help you perk up before the meeting.

figurative The rainy weather seemed to perk up once the sun started to shine through the clouds.

Grammatical Forms of perk up

past tense

perked up

plural

perk up

comparative

perkier

superlative

perkiest

present tense

perks up

future tense

will perk up

perfect tense

has perked up

continuous tense

is perking up

singular

perk up

positive degree

perk up

infinitive

to perk up

gerund

perking up

participle

perked up

Origin and Evolution of perk up

First Known Use: 1922 year
Language of Origin: English
Story behind the word: The phrase 'perk up' is believed to have originated from the combination of the word 'perk' meaning brisk or lively, and the phrasal verb 'up' indicating an increase or improvement.
Evolution of the word: Originally used informally to mean to become more lively or cheerful, 'perk up' has evolved to also mean to improve or become more alert in various contexts.