psychn.1
/sʌɪk/, U.S. /saɪk/ colloquial.
Psychology; (also) psychiatry. Frequently attributive.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > psychology > [adjective]
psychologicala1688
pneumatological1706
psychologica1787
psych1895
psycho1914
the world > health and disease > healing > psychiatry > [noun]
psychiatry1828
psychiatrics1847
alienism1870
psych1895
trick-cycling1901
the mind > mental capacity > psychology > [noun] > science of mind or soul
animastic1653
psychology1654
pneumatology1771
psychologicsa1822
psychicsa1832
phrenics1841
psych1895
psycho1921
the world > health and disease > healing > psychiatry > [adjective]
psychiatric1847
psychiatrical1884
psycho-curative1901
psych1946
1895 W. C. Gore in Inlander Nov. 64 Psych. n., psychology.
1910 in Dial. Notes (1914) 4 129 He was feeling sadly as he thought of Psych and Chem.
1946 P. Carter in B. W. Aldiss & H. M. Harrison Decade 1940s (1975) 111 Shut up or I'll have the psych corpsman go over you.
1951 Galaxy Sci. Fiction May 138/1 He had put the entire student body through interrogation and a psych check.
1953 ‘T. Sturgeon’ More than Human iii. 204 He went through medical school too, and psych.
1960 Analog Sci. Fact & Fiction Nov. 12/1 I checked with one of our own psych men... Lefferts has definite paranoid tendencies, he says.
1975 R. H. Rimmer Premar Exper. (1976) i. 78 Since I didn't feel like watching TV in the sitting room, I concentrated on my psych book.
1976 Amer. Speech 1973 48 297 In most large, metropolitan hospitals, there are customarily two or more units devoted to psych.
1992 Glimmer Train Winter 91 Apparently she'd lost her temper..just started screaming and couldn't stop. So she checked herself in to the psych ward at St. Francis.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2007; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
psychn.2
/sʌɪk/, U.S. /saɪk/ A psychologist, psychiatrist, or psychoanalyst.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > psychology > [noun] > student or teacher of psychology
psychologist1727
pneumatologist1801
psychologer1811
psychologue1842
psychologian1860
psychological1863
psychology student1890
psychist1896
psycho1925
psych1946
the world > health and disease > healing > psychiatry > [noun] > psychiatrist
mad-doctor1697
head-doctor1850
mind-curer1856
psychiater1857
alienist1864
psychopath1864
psychiatrist1869
mind-curist1889
trick-cyclist1897
soul doctor1922
loony-doctor1925
witch doctor1930
psych1946
headshrinker1950
wig-picker1961
shrink1966
shrinker1967
the mind > mental capacity > psychology > theory of psychoanalysis > [noun] > practitioner of
third ear1907
psychoanalyst1910
analyst1912
psych1946
depth psychologist1947
1946 P. Carter in Astounding Sci.-Fiction Aug. 113 The psychs probably have a spy or two planted in this room.
1947 L. MacNeice Dark Tower 181 You don't mean a psycho-analyst?.. We do not believe in the psych.
1962 P. Mortimer Pumpkin Eater xvi. 146 It's only that the doctor, that psyche, did say that I shouldn't have another child. I'm in the middle of treatment, Jake says, for depression.
1968 Listener 19 Dec. 810/1 ‘That would be very foolish, but also of some inconvenience to me,’ the psych said.
1990 J. Welch Indian Lawyer 243 He read the prison reports, the rap sheet, the various psychs prepared over the years of Peters's previous incarcerations.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2007; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
psychn.3
/sʌɪk/, U.S. /saɪk/ 1. Bridge. A psychic bid.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > game > card game > bridge > [noun] > actions or tactics > call > bidding > bid > other types of bid
ask1872
overcall1890
rescue bid1912
game-goer1913
reverse bid1915
denial1916
rebid1916
overbid?1917
rescue?1917
under-call1923
jump1927
invitation1928
score-bid1928
approach1929
pre-empt1929
one-over-one1931
response1931
cue-bid1932
psychic1932
asking bid1936
reverse1936
shut-out1936
under-bid1945
controlled psychic1959
relay bid1959
raise1964
psych1965
multi1972
splinter bid1977
1965 Sunday Times 31 Jan. (Colour Suppl.) 38/2 ‘Don't tell me you wouldn't try five-spades.’..You catch them out in a full-blooded psyche.
1969 A. Truscott Great Bridge Scandal 272 His rather puerile psyche clearly indicates that he knew nothing about the hearts opposite.
1973 L. Meynell Fatal Flaw iv. 33 Vyvyan already knew Nancy's play..very dependable; no ‘psyches’ or fancy tricks.
1980 Oxf. Times 25 Jan. (City ed.) 11/6 Barry Rigal reports on the two methods of dealing with psyches—the successful and the unsuccessful—against Surrey.
2. A psychic person. rare.
ΚΠ
1975 Publishers Weekly 7 Apr. 81/3 He has great ESP powers, so he volunteers to help his friend Ahmed of the Rescue Squad trace psyches in distress.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2007; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
psychv.1
/sʌɪk/, U.S. /saɪk/ 1. transitive. To psychoanalyse; (also) to subject to psychological testing.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > psychology > theory of psychoanalysis > psychoanalyse [verb (transitive)]
analyse1909
psychoanalyse1911
psych1917
psycho1925
1917 Metrop. Mag. Jan. 20/1 Well, she went to this psychoanalyzer; she was ‘psyched’.
1928 Daily Express 31 Dec. 2/5 While for some patients being ‘psyched’ may be a step towards being cured, to others it may amount to being infected.
1943 F. Brown Angels & Spaceships (1955) 178 It isn't fair to psych a guy when he doesn't know what he's talking about.
1965 P. Wylie They both were Naked i. i. 20 I've been psyched so much I can hardly daydream as I used to.
1982 S. Bellow Dean's Dec. x. 203 They trooped in to be psyched, social-worked, assigned to cells.
1998 E. George Taming Beast 18 I'll get him psyched. If Dr. Sutton thinks he looks okay. I'll give him the shot.
2. transitive. colloquial (originally and chiefly U.S.). To analyse (something), esp. in psychological terms; to work out. Usually with out.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > psychology > analyse or describe psychologically [verb (transitive)]
psychologize1852
psych1929
1929 Los Angeles Times 29 Sept. iii. 25/3 We marveled that Daisy Moreno..should have deserted them for another table. Cecil De Mille psyched it as ‘fear’.
1963 F. C. Crews Pooh Perplex 66 Hell, I must have gone through my old copy of Winnie a dozen times, psyching out all the cultural cross-references.
1973 Daily Tel. 30 Nov. (Colour Suppl.) 38/1 I would have come away from his [sc. Geller's] various feats as from any others I could not psych out—certain there was a simple, logical, rather ordinary explanation that escaped me.
1978 S. Brill Teamsters iii. 88 Most others could never approach Hoffa's ability..to psyche out the opposition's thinking so consistently.
1986 D. Shields Dead Lang. (1990) xxvi. 213 Mother prided herself on her ability to ‘psych out’ photographs and she looked at it for the longest time, looked at it again for the longest time but with her glasses on, and finally said, ‘She doesn't love you.’
2002 J. Hanson Real Freshman Handbk. 144 You want to spend your time cramming, not trying to psych out the format or style.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2007; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
psychv.2
/sʌɪk/, U.S. /saɪk/ 1. colloquial (originally U.S.). To influence psychologically.
a. transitive. To influence or manipulate psychologically; to bring (oneself or another) into (also (rare) out of) a particular mental state, situation, etc.; to deceive or trick.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > belief > suggestion, proposal > suggest [verb (transitive)] > affect by suggestion, influence > and subdue
subduec1449
captivate?1531
psych1931
1931 Decatur (Illinois) Daily Rev. 2 Mar. 2/6 ‘But I've the unhappiest feeling,’ she persisted. ‘Psych yourself out of it,’ he counseled.
1957 Venture Sci. Fiction Jan. 18/2 A growing moodiness had driven her..to get out alone... She couldn't understand the pull she felt... Ever since those moments in the Monster's cage... Damn the Monster! Had the thing psyched her?
1961 Milwaukee (Wisconsin) Jrnl. 8 Nov. 11. 16/3 ‘We didn't think we could beat Maine with an orthodox offense,’ Hatch said. ‘We hoped this way to provoke some defensive miscues and also to “psych” our own kids into believing they had something extra going for them.’
1966 Time 29 Apr. 35 Having discovered psychology, the cops induce ‘truth’ by psyching the subject.
1977 I. Shaw Beggarman, Thief iii. viii. 313 I had no business being at the net. I was trying to psyche you into missing the shot.
1990 W. Wasserstein Bachelor Girls 197 I haven't actually counted the awards, but I'm sure that if I did I could psych myself into some new form of anxiety over them.
1992 Guardian 16 Apr. 27/7 The biggest thrill [for a lawyer] was trying to psyche out the jury. Ultimately it doesn't really matter what the facts are. It's what you can make the jury believe.
b. transitive. To gain a psychological advantage over; to intimidate, demoralize. Usually with out. Cf. psyched adj. 1.
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the mind > emotion > fear > quality of inspiring fear > quality of being intimidating > intimidate or bully [verb (transitive)]
awec1225
bashc1375
palla1393
argh1393
formengea1400
matea1400
boasta1522
quail1526
brag1551
appale1563
browbeat1581
adaw1590
overdare1590
dastard1593
strike1598
disdare1612
cowa1616
dare1619
daw1631
bounce1640
dastardize1645
intimidate1646
hector1664
out-hector1672
huff1674
bully1685
harass1788
bullyraga1790
major1829
haze1851
bullock1875
to push (someone) around1900
to put the frighteners in, on1958
psych1963
vibe1979
1963 Amer. Speech 38 205 Get psyched out, v. phr., slang term applied to losing one's nerve while skiing downhill.
1971 E. Bullins in W. King Black Short Story Anthol. (1972) 63 Dandy thought that the way she managed things and worked the love and affection from people was like a pimp who psychs out his whores.
1976 J. Quarry in 6,000 Words 165 Pressure doesn't psych me.
1977 I. Shaw Beggarman, Thief iii. ix. 318 I could see something was psyching him out and it worried me.
1989 Indian Bookworm's Jrnl. Spring 16/1 The crowd in ugly mood, surges against the frail police line...They're all staring at you, trying to psyche you out.
2001 E. Colfer Artemis Fowl v. 99 You're absolutely right. I have no clue what's going on. So there's no future in trying to psych me out.
c. transitive. To prepare (oneself or another) mentally for a particular experience, ordeal, etc.; spec. to excite or stimulate; to make enthusiastic. Frequently with up. Also intransitive. Cf. psyched adj. 2.
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the world > action or operation > undertaking > preparation > prepare [verb (transitive)] > specifically a person > mentally
preparec1520
psych1968
1968 New Yorker 10 Aug. 78 He's never tried to psych us, or insult us with a pep talk.
1970 N. Armstrong et al. First on Moon xiii. 318 He always likes to get you psyched up for tragedy.
1972 Washington Post 16 Mar. d6 (headline) Thompson ‘psychs up’ for K. of C. tournament.
1973 Mass. Daily Collegian 26 Apr. 8/1 The states get psyched... New England..has begun to get just a little excited about the upcoming bicentennial of the American Revolution.
1974 H. L. Foster Ribbin', Jivin', & Playin' Dozens vi. 252 The teacher psychs himself—that is, puts himself in a certain frame of mind so that he can deal with the realities of his teaching assignment.
1978 Telegraph (Brisbane) 28 Sept. 23/4 For months we had been psyching ourselves up for this very rare entertainment delight.
1979 Tucson (Arizona) Citizen 20 Sept. 6 d/1 It's hard for our kids to get psyched up for a dual meet, especially this early in the season.
1994 I. Botham My Autobiogr. vi. 118 I firmly believed in simply psyching one another up over a beer or two.
2000 C. Crowe Almost Famous (film script) (O.E.D. Archive) 27 (stage direct.) It's their band ritual, psyching together, arms on each other's shoulders in a circle.
2. intransitive. U.S. colloquial. To break down mentally; to become confused or deranged. With out. temporary.
ΘΚΠ
the world > health and disease > mental health > mental illness > degree or type of mental illness > [verb (intransitive)] > break down
psych1970
1970 Atlantic Feb. 84 I psyched out. I'll be damned if I know how.
1972 R. Bloch Night-world (1974) xiv. 90 It had been a real rip-off, and at first Tony had psyched out on the whole scene.
1973 To our Returned Prisoners of War (U.S. Secretary of Defense, Public Affairs) 8 Psych out,..to become confused or disturbed.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2007; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
psychv.3
/sʌɪk/, U.S. /saɪk/ Bridge.
1. intransitive. To make a psychic bid.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > game > card game > bridge > play bridge [verb (intransitive)] > actions or tactics > bid > types of bid
overbid1887
double1894
redouble1894
to go back1900
pre-empt1913
rebid1914
S.O.S.1926
overcall1927
cue-bid1932
psych1932
to sign off1932
reverse1939
sacrifice1952
to pass out1959
stop1959
underbid1974
under-call-
1932 Oakland (Calif.) Tribune 7 Jan. 3 m/7 (heading) ‘Psyching’ to lose.
1945 ‘S. J. Simon’ Why you lose at Bridge 97 Nobody can compel you to psyche. But you can't stop anybody psyching against you.
1969 A. Truscott Great Bridge Scandal 271 He had no technical reason to suppose that his partner had psyched.
1977 Detroit Free Press 11 Dec. 22–c/1 The psychic bid was invented by Dorothy Rice Sims in the early 1930s. It soon became the vogue to ‘psyche’, usually with hit and miss results.
2004 J. Pottage & P. Burrows Art of Psychic Bidding i. 23 They rarely psyched and one senses that they regarded those who did with disdain.
2. transitive. To make a psychic bid of; (also) to deceive (one's opponents) with a psychic bid.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > game > card game > bridge > [verb (transitive)] > actions or tactics > bid > types of bid
double1894
redouble1894
respond1901
overbid1908
underbid1908
to take out of ——1909
rebid1914
rescue1921
jump1927
overcall1927
pre-empt1928
cue-bid1932
psych1937
1937 Washington Post 4 Dec. 11/2 One East player ‘psyched’ a club after the bid was passed around to him.
1937 Nebraska State Jrnl. 28 Dec. 5/4 Those readers who were impressed by North's bidding..would find themselves ‘psyched to pieces’ in a big league game.
1945 ‘S. J. Simon’ Why you lose at Bridge 109 It will take the strong team a long time to realise that you have had the impertinence to try and psyche them.
1977 Bridge Mag. Aug. 86/2 Both Souths psyched a one spade response and both Wests exposed the psyche with almost contemptuous ease.
2005 N.Y. Times 4 June b19 East..found an incredible moment to psych three diamonds.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2007; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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