psych1

[sahyk] /saɪk/
verb (used with object), Informal.
1.
to intimidate or frighten psychologically, or make nervous (often followed by out):
to psych out the competition.
2.
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.
3.
to figure out psychologically; decipher (often followed by out):
to psych out a problem.
Also, psyche.
Origin
1915-20 in earlier sense “to subject to psychoanalysis”; originally a shortening of psychoanalyze; in later use (especially in defs. 1 and 2) perhaps independent use of psych-
British Dictionary definitions for psych up

psych up

verb
1.
(transitive, adverb) (informal) to get (oneself or another) into a state of psychological readiness for an action, performance, etc

psych

/saɪk/
verb
1.
(transitive) (informal) to psychoanalyse See also psych out, psych up
Word Origin
C20: shortened from psychoanalyse
Word Origin and History for psych up

psych

as a noun, short for psychology in various senses (e.g. as an academic study, in student slang by 1895). As a verb, first attested 1917 as "to subject to psychoanalysis," short for psychoanalyze. From 1934 as "to outsmart" (also psych out); from 1963 as "to unnerve." However to psych (oneself) up is from 1972; to be psyched up is attested from 1968.

Slang definitions & phrases for psych up

psych up

verb phrase

To bring to a state of keen attention; excite and incite; pump up (1957+)


psych

modifier

Psychiatry; psychiatric: makes it down from the psych ward on the 15th floor (1940s+)

noun

Psychology, esp as an academic study (1895+ College students)

verb
  1. (also psych out) To outsmart another person: The bastards psyched me (1934+ College students)
  2. To sense or infer the motives, behavior, etc, of others; feel out a situation: an uncanny ability to ''psych out'' audiences and make them love her (1961+)
  3. To unnerve someone; cause someone to lose composure, will, skill, etc: He won't psych me as he did her (1960s+)

Related Abbreviations for psych up

psych

psychoanalyze
Idioms and Phrases with psych up

psych up

Excite emotionally, as in The chorus was really psyched up for performing in Symphony Hall. [ ; c. 1970 ]