psych

See also: psych-

English

Etymology

Abbreviations.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /saɪk/

• Audio (CA):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -aɪk

Noun

psych (countable and uncountable, plural psyches)

1. Psychology or psychiatry.

   a psych class

2. A psychologist; a psychiatrist.
   • 1978, Lawrence Durrell, Livia, Faber & Faber 1992 (Avignon Quintet), p. 476:

     She had attended a conference of psychs at which he had presided and they had taken a fancy to each other.

Adjective

psych (comparative more psych, superlative most psych)

1. (informal) Psychedelic.

   curtains with psych colors

   a psych band; a psych album. Psych-rock and psych-folk music.

2. (informal) Psychiatric.

Verb

psych (third-person singular simple present psyches, present participle psyching, simple past and past participle psyched)

1. (transitive, reflexive) To put (someone) into a required psychological frame of mind (also psych up).
2. (transitive) To intimidate (someone) emotionally or using psychology (also psych out).
3. (transitive, informal) To treat (someone) using psychoanalysis.

Derived terms

• psych out
• psych up

Interjection

psych

1. (slang) Indicating that one's preceding statement was false and that one has successfully fooled one's interlocutor. Also sike.
2. (dated, slang) An interjection of surprised happiness.

   Psych! I just found my missing bracelet!

Related terms

• psych-
• psycho-
• psyche
• psych verb