verb
perk
To rise or lift into an upright position.
The dog's ears perk up when it hears a whistle.
Etymology
The upright sense belongs to the older lifting verb. Perk meaning a benefit is a separate shortening of perquisite.
More examples
- The horse perks its ears toward the sound of footsteps.
- One of the puppy's ears perks up; the other stays floppy.
- The rabbit sat still, its ears perked up.
Forms
perk · perks · perked · perking