psych

/saɪk/
interjection
  1. Used to indicate that something said earlier was a joke or not true, often after tricking someone.
    • Psych! I knew you'd believe me.
    • I forgot your birthday — psych! I have a gift right here.
    • You're fired! Psych, just kidding — you got a promotion.
verb
  1. To make someone feel nervous, confused, or less confident, especially by using psychological tricks or intimidation.
    • The other team tried to psych us out before the game with loud music.
    • Don't let his comments psych you; just focus on your own work.
    • She psyched herself up before the exam by listening to upbeat music.
  2. To prepare oneself mentally for a challenge or difficult situation.
    • I need to psych myself up for the long run tomorrow.
    • He psyched himself to stay calm during the interview.
    • They psyched up the crowd with an energetic speech.
  3. To analyze or understand someone's thoughts or behavior, often in a clever or intuitive way.
    • She managed to psych out what he was really thinking.
    • He tried to psych the teacher's test questions but failed.
    • Can you psych why she suddenly left the party?
noun
  1. A psychology course or class.
    • He's studying for his psych final tonight.
    • I have psych at 10 AM on Mondays.
    • She decided to major in psych after taking an intro class.
  2. A psychologist or psychiatrist (informal).
    • My psych said I should try meditation.
    • She has an appointment with her psych tomorrow.
    • The school psych talked to the students about stress.