perch
/pɜːtʃ/ (bre, ipa) · /pɜːrtʃ/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈpərch/ (ame, mw) · /pɝːtʃ/ (ame, ipa)
perch — verb
- perchpresent simple I / you / we / they
- percheshe / she / it
- perchedpast simple
- perching-ing form
1. to sit on the edge or top of something, especially in a way that is not fully se
to sit on the edge or top of something, especially in a way that is not fully settled or secure, often with your feet hanging down or your body slightly tilted.
The little girl perched on the edge of her chair, eager to leave the room.
perch + on + the edge of [object]
A black cat perched on the garden wall, watching the neighbours walk past.
The children perched on the wooden fence to get a better view of the parade.
Mei-Lin perched carefully on the arm of the sofa, not wanting to sit properly.
A group of teenagers perched on the low wall outside the school gates.
- lie down
perch is sitting upright, while lie down is horizontal
文法句型
perch + on/at + noun phrase
用法筆記
Intransitive only. The subject is typically a person or animal, and the object of the preposition is normally a narrow or elevated surface such as a chair edge, fence, wall, or bench.
常見錯誤
2. to rest high up or near a rim, or to leave an object there so it sits above the
to rest high up or near a rim, or to leave an object there so it sits above the ground and may look slightly unsteady.
The old house is perched on the edge of a steep cliff overlooking the sea.
passive: be perched + on/above/at
A small village perched high in the mountains, far from any city.
The waiter perched a tray of drinks on his shoulder as he moved through the crowd.
Mrs. Wang perched her sunglasses on top of her head while she read the menu.
The eagle perched on the highest branch of the old pine tree.
文法句型
be perched + preposition phrase
perch + object + preposition phrase
用法筆記
Frequently used in the passive voice (be perched) to describe the location of buildings, villages, or other structures. The transitive pattern (perch + object) is used when someone deliberately places something in a high position.
常見錯誤
perch — noun
- perchsingular
- perchesplural
1. a type of freshwater fish with spiny fins, found in rivers and lakes across Euro
a type of freshwater fish with spiny fins, found in rivers and lakes across Europe, Asia, and North America, commonly caught for food or sport.
Grandpa caught a large perch from the lake and cooked it for dinner.
Perch is a popular fish for anglers because it is easy to find in most rivers.
The restaurant serves pan-fried perch with lemon and herbs.
We saw a school of perch swimming near the surface of the clear stream.
- fish
generic category; perch is one specific type
2. a narrow branch, bar, or similar support that a bird uses for resting, especiall
a narrow branch, bar, or similar support that a bird uses for resting, especially the stick fixed inside a cage.
The parrot sat on its wooden perch and cracked open a sunflower seed.
collocation: wooden perch
We bought a new perch for the canary's cage because the old one was broken.
From its high perch on the telephone wire, the sparrow watched the traffic below.
The budgie hopped from one perch to another inside its cage.
- roost
a place where a bird sleeps overnight, usually larger and more permanent
用法筆記
Often used in the context of pet birds and their cages, but also for wild birds resting on branches, wires, or other narrow surfaces.
3. a raised place for sitting or standing, usually one that lets you look down over
a raised place for sitting or standing, usually one that lets you look down over the area around it.
From his perch on the balcony, Mr. Chen watched the sun set over the city.
collocation: from [one's] perch
The security guard had a perfect perch at the top of the stairs to see everyone coming in.
The children built a treehouse that served as their secret perch above the garden.
Hikers stopped for lunch at a rocky perch with a stunning view of the valley.
- vantage point
emphasises the good view more than the height
- lookout
a place from which to watch for danger or activity
用法筆記
Can also be used figuratively to describe a position of status or advantage, e.g. 'from his perch as company director'.
4. a traditional unit of length equal to 5.5 yards (about 5 metres), or the square
a traditional unit of length equal to 5.5 yards (about 5 metres), or the square perch used to measure land area.
The field measured about twenty perches from end to end.
In old land records, the property was listed as fifteen square perches.
formal context: historical land measurement
Farmers in some rural areas still refer to land in perches rather than square metres.
The survey map marked the orchard as eight square perches beside the lane.
用法筆記
Very rare in modern everyday use. Mainly encountered in historical documents, older property deeds, or traditional surveying contexts in the UK and some Commonwealth countries.