perk

[purk]

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verb (used without object)

to become lively, cheerful, or vigorous, as after depression or sickness (usually followed by up): The patients all perked up when we played the piano for them.

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

to put oneself forward briskly or presumptuously.

verb (used with object)

to make smart, trim, or jaunty (sometimes followed by up or out): to perk up a suit with a new white blouse.

to raise smartly or briskly (often followed by up or out): to perk one's head up.

adjective

perky; jaunty: a perk manner.

Origin of perk

1350–1400; Middle English perken; perhaps akin to peer²

Related formsperk·ing·ly, adverbperk·ish, adjective

perk

[purk]

verb (used with or without object) Informal.

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

Origin of perk

1930–35, Americanism; by shortening and respelling of percolate

perk

[purk]

noun Informal.

perquisite.

Origin of perk

First recorded in 1815–25; by shortening and respelling

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for perks

advantage, extra, bonus, gratuity, dividend, perquisite, largess, plus, gravy, tip, lagniappe

Examples from the Web for perks

Contemporary Examples of perks

And he speaks about the perks of the two months of rehearsal with the full cast.
The Cast of ‘Peter Pan Live!’ Knows You Hatewatched ‘The Sound of Music’
Kevin Fallon
December 2, 2014
And there are perks to that: At least it meant that officials would waste no time in trying to contain the outbreak.
Dallas: A Journal of the Plague City
Pete Freedman
October 17, 2014
Going hands-free is just one of the perks of a place where the only form of transportation is by carriage, bike, or tractor.
The Crazy Medieval Island of Sark
Liza Foreman
October 4, 2014
One of the perks of celebrity is having both the platform and the high status to fight for the causes that strike closest to home.
The Agony and the Ecstasy of Ai Weiwei
Justin Jones
May 15, 2014
Rabbis can tell when someone changes their religion to Jewish for the perks.
A Jewish Ex-Con Recalls Keeping Kosher with the Faithful in Prison
Daniel Genis
May 11, 2014

Historical Examples of perks

Well, is it perks if I buy a picture from you for ten bob which I know to be worth £1,000?
Hurricane Island
H. B. Marriott Watson
"I'm not sure that that's not perks," said little Pye with his quizzical glance.
Hurricane Island
H. B. Marriott Watson
And when they raves agin our perks, they only longs to collar 'em.
Punch, or the London Charivari, Vol. 107, October 20, 1894
Various
Perks was not so big as Benny, though he was two or three years older.
Her Benny
Silas Kitto Hocking
"If you don't take yourself off, Perks, you'll wish you had," said Benny.
Her Benny
Silas Kitto Hocking

British Dictionary definitions for perks

perk

adjective

pert; brisk; lively

verb

See perk up

Word Origin for perk

C16: see perk up

perk

verb informal

(intr) (of coffee) to percolate

(tr) to percolate (coffee)

perk

noun

British informal short for perquisite

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

Word Origin and History for perks

perk

late 14c., "to make oneself trim or smart," perhaps from Old North French perquer "to perch" (Modern French percher; see perch (n.1)), on notion of a bird preening its plumage. Sense of "raise oneself briskly" is first attested 1520s; perk up "recover liveliness" is from 1650s. Related: Perked; perking.

perk

1869, shortened and altered form of perquisite (q.v.); as a verb, 1934 as shortened and altered form of percolate.