perk up

perk up — phrasal verb

  • perk upbase form
  • perks up3rd person singular
  • perking up-ing form
  • perked uppast simple

1. to move from a tired or low mood into a more cheerful, energetic state — either

1.片語動詞及物 / 不及物B1
釋義

to move from a tired or low mood into a more cheerful, energetic state — either on your own or because of something that lifts your spirits

例句

Little Mira was sleepy after lunch, but the walk to the park perked her right up.

perked ... up (transitive, restoration of energy)

Stefan had been quiet all morning, but he perked up when his grandmother arrived with a bag of books.

perked up (intransitive, emotional lift)

同義詞
  • cheer up

    slightly narrower — focuses on mood rather than energy

  • brighten up

    more about facial expression and visible mood

  • liven up

    suggests movement or activity, not just mood

反義詞
  • dampen

    to make less cheerful or enthusiastic

  • deflate

    sudden loss of energy or confidence

文法句型

perk + up

perk + noun + up

perk + up + noun

用法筆記

Commonly used in the transitive pattern (perk + object + up) where the object is a person or animal. The particle 'up' can be separated from 'perk' by a short object pronoun (e.g. 'perked me up'). Also frequent in the intransitive pattern (subject + perk up) describing a person's or animal's change in energy or mood.

常見錯誤

❌I perked up myself with coffee.
✅Coffee perked me up.
💡The transitive use requires the coffee/event to be the subject, not the person.

2. to rise in price or worth, or to cause a price or worth to rise — commonly used

2.片語動詞及物 / 不及物B2
釋義

to rise in price or worth, or to cause a price or worth to rise — commonly used when talking about shares, currencies, and property

例句

The stock market perked up after the central bank announced lower interest rates.

perked up (market / index, intransitive)

News of the new factory perked up the company's share price by nearly eight percent.

perked up + share price (transitive, financial gain)

同義詞
  • pick up

    more general; can refer to any improvement, not just financial

  • rally

    implies a recovery after a decline; stronger and more technical

  • recover

    suggests returning to a previous high level after a drop

反義詞
  • drop

    general decrease in value or price

  • decline

    steady fall over time

文法句型

perk + up

perk + noun + up

用法筆記

Predominantly used in financial and economic writing. The intransitive pattern (market / shares / prices + perk up) is more common than the transitive pattern. When transitive, the subject is typically a piece of news or an event, not a person.

常見錯誤

❌The stock perked up me.
✅The stock perked up after the announcement.
💡Sense 2 does not take a person as object.

3. to make something look or feel more interesting, attractive, or lively — for exa

3.片語動詞及物B2
釋義

to make something look or feel more interesting, attractive, or lively — for example, by adding colour, decoration, or variety

例句

Asher perked up his plain white bedroom walls with a few bright posters and a row of potted plants.

perked up + [space] (visual improvement)

Rania added some fresh flowers to the reception desk to perk up the entrance hall.

perk up the [area] (adding decoration)

同義詞
  • spruce up

    very similar; suggests tidying and improving appearance

  • jazz up

    informal; suggests adding excitement or flair

  • brighten

    can imply adding light or colour to make more pleasant

反義詞
  • dull

    to make less interesting or attractive

  • spoil

    to ruin the appearance or quality of something

文法句型

perk + noun + up

perk + up + noun

用法筆記

Always transitive in this sense — the object is the thing that is made more interesting or attractive (room, outfit, presentation, menu, garden, etc.). The intransitive pattern is not used for this meaning. Cannot take a person as object here.

常見錯誤

❌The flowers perked up in the sun.' (that would be sense 1)
✅The flowers perked up the whole room.
💡Sense 3 requires a direct object that is the space or thing being improved.