perk

¹

[purk]

verb (used without object)

1. to become lively, cheerful, or vigorous, as after depression or sickness (usually followed byup ).

   The patients all perked up when we played the piano for them.

2. to act, or carry oneself, in a jaunty manner.

3. to put oneself forward briskly or presumptuously.

verb (used with object)

1. to make smart, trim, or jaunty (sometimes followed by up orout ).

   to perk up a suit with a new white blouse.

2. to raise smartly or briskly (often followed by up orout ).

   to perk one's head up.

adjective

1. perky; jaunty.

   a perk manner.

perk

²

[purk]

verb (used with or without object)

Informal.

1. to percolate.

   Has the coffee perked yet? The research team is perking with new ideas.

perk

³

Also perc

[purk]

noun

Informal.

1. perquisite.

perk

¹

/ pɜːk /

adjective

1. pert; brisk; lively

verb

1. See perk up

perk

²

/ pɜːk /

verb

1. (intr) (of coffee) to percolate

2. (tr) to percolate (coffee)

perk

³

/ pɜːk /

noun

1. informal,  short for perquisite

Other Word Forms

• perkingly adverb
• perkish adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of perk¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English perken “(of a bird) to perch on a tree”; akin to perch ¹

Origin of perk²

An Americanism dating back to 1920–25; by shortening and respelling

Origin of perk³

First recorded in 1865–70; by shortening and respelling

Word History and Origins

Origin of perk¹

C16: see _{perk up}

Example Sentences

Launched in 2005, it offers free and fast shipping, access to Amazon’s streaming service and other perks.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Tech employees these days are having to decide if working from home is a priority or a perk. Amazon.com has had a five-day-in-office policy since the start of the year.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

So the 62-year-old from Arizona made a spreadsheet comparing the perks he was getting on each card against his own spending.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The company doesn’t break out how many memberships come from credit-card issuers that offer the service as a perk for cardholders, like American Express Platinum.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

JetBlue was once an outlier in offering free Wi-Fi, but the perk is becoming table stakes for airlines.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• advantage 
• bonus 
• dividend 
• extra 
• fringe benefit 
• gratuity 
• perquisite