psych
1or psyche
[ sahyk ]
/ saɪk /
verb (used with object) Informal.
to intimidate or frighten psychologically, or make nervous (often followed by out): to psych out the competition.
to prepare psychologically to be in the right frame of mind or to give one's best (often followed by up): to psych oneself up for an interview.
to figure out psychologically; decipher (often followed by out): to psych out a problem.
Origin of psych
1
1915–20 in earlier sense “to subject to psychoanalysis”; originally a shortening of
psychoanalyze; in later use (especially in
defs 1, 2) perhaps independent use of
psych-
British Dictionary definitions for psych up (1 of 2)
psych up
verb
(tr, adverb) informal
to get (oneself or another) into a state of psychological readiness for an action, performance, etc
British Dictionary definitions for psych up (2 of 2)
Word Origin for psych
C20: shortened from
psychoanalyse
Idioms and Phrases with psych up
psych up
Excite emotionally, as in The chorus was really psyched up for performing in Symphony Hall. [Slang; c. 1970]