Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition


Perk

Perk

(pẽrk)
,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Perked
(pẽrkt)
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Perking
.]
[Cf. W.
percu
to trim, to make smart.]
To make trim or smart; to straighten up; to erect; to make a jaunty or saucy display of;
as, to
perk
the ears; to
perk
up one’s head.
Cowper.
Sherburne.

Perk

,
Verb.
I.
1.
To exalt one's self; to bear one's self loftily.
“To perk over them.”
Barrow.
To perk it
,
to carry one's self proudly or saucily.
Pope.

Perk

,
Adj.
Smart; trim; spruce; jaunty; vain.
Perk as a peacock.”
Spenser.

Perk

,
Verb.
I.
To peer; to look inquisitively.
Dickens.

Webster 1828 Edition


Perk

PERK

,
Adj.
Properly, erect; hence, smart; trim.

PERK

,
Verb.
I.
To hold up the head with affected smartness.

PERK

,
Verb.
T.
To dress; to make trim or smart; to prank.

Definition 2024


perk

perk

See also: pērk

English

Alternative forms

  • perq (less common)

Noun

perk (plural perks)

  1. (informal) Perquisite.
    Free coffee is one of the perks of the job.
Translations

Etymology 2

From percolate (verb) and percolator (noun), by abbreviation.

Verb

perk (third-person singular simple present perks, present participle perking, simple past and past participle perked)

  1. (transitive) To make (coffee) in a percolator or a drip coffeemaker.
    I’ll perk some coffee.
  2. (intransitive) Of coffee: to be produced by heated water seeping (“percolating”) through coffee grounds.
    • 1996, Lewis, Sherry, This Montana Home, Harlequin Books, page 288:
      While the coffee perked, she flipped idly through a gardening magazine and scanned an article on the war against aphids.
    The coffee is perking.

Noun

perk (plural perks)

  1. A percolator, particularly of coffee.

Etymology 3

The origin is uncertain.

Verb

perk (third-person singular simple present perks, present participle perking, simple past and past participle perked)

  1. To become more lively or enthusiastic.
  2. To exalt oneself; to bear oneself loftily.
    • Barrow
      to perk over them
  3. To make trim or smart; to straighten up; to erect; to make a jaunty or saucy display of.
    to perk the ears; to perk up one's head
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Cowper to this entry?)
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Sherburne to this entry?)
Derived terms

Adjective

perk (comparative more perk, superlative most perk)

  1. Smart; trim; spruce; jaunty; vain.
    • Spenser
      Perk as a peacock.

Etymology 4

The origin is uncertain.

Verb

perk (third-person singular simple present perks, present participle perking, simple past and past participle perked)

  1. (dated) To peer; to look inquisitively.
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Charles Dickens to this entry?)

Dutch

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /pɛrk/
  • Rhymes: -ɛrk

Etymology

From Old Dutch *perrik, *parrik, from Proto-Germanic *parrukaz. Compare also park and German Pferch.

Noun

perk n (plural perken, diminutive perkje n)

  1. a delimited piece of ground, e.g. a flowerbed