perk one's ears
Hear something interesting
To perk one's ears is to suddenly become attentive, like an animal raising its ears at an unexpected sound.
The phrase describes a shift from passive hearing to active listening: She perked her ears when she heard her name mentioned.
Often appears as perk up one's ears or with ears as subject: His ears perked up at the mention of free food.
- prick upRaise alertly
- twitchInvoluntary muscular jerk
- listenPerceive sound attentively
- tiltAngular deviation from level
- swivelRotating connection point
ear · concentrate · focus · intrigue · glance · alert · sound alert · sudden noise · signal · cock · discern · attend · eagerness · footstep · strain · eavesdrop · rustle · prick
perk one's earstune out
Deliberately stop attending
turn a deaf ear · block out · ignore · zone out · close one's ears
perk one's earsswitch off
Cease device operation
disengage · tune out · glaze over · zone out · space out
perk one's earsnod off
Fall briefly unconscious
drowse · doze · fall asleep · lose focus · drift off
perk, perks, perked, perking, perky, perkiness, perkier, perkiest, ears