perking up one's ears
Suddenly paying attention
To perk up one's ears is to suddenly become attentive, like an animal whose ears lift at an interesting sound.
The phrase describes that moment when something catches your attention and you start listening more carefully: She perked up her ears when she heard her name mentioned in the next room.
Sometimes shortened to perk up when the context is clear.
- acknowledgingAccepting as true
- listeningAttending to sound
- paying attentionDirecting focus toward something
- craningStretching neck forward
- leaning inTilting body forward
pricked ears · alertness · curiosity · interest · signaling · hearing · sharp hearing · detecting · vigilance · sitting up · noticing · responding · awareness · tuning in · eavesdropping · reacting · anticipation · intrigue
perking up one's earstuning out
Deliberately not hearing
turning a deaf ear · ignoring · not listening · zoning out · blocking out
perking up one's earstuning out
Deliberately not hearing
checking out · disengaging · yawning · nodding off · losing focus
perks, perked, perking, perkiness, perkier, perkiest, earring, earrings, earlobes