Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense perches, present participle perching, past tense, past participle perchedlanguage note: The form perch is used for both the singular and plural in meaning [sense 8].
1. verb
If you perch on something, you sit down lightly on the very edge or tip of it.
He perched on the corner of the desk. [VERB preposition/adverb]
He perched himself on the side of the bed. [VERB pronoun-reflexive preposition/adverb]
Synonyms: sit, rest, balance, settle More Synonyms of perch
perchedadjective
She was perched on the edge of the sofa.
2. verb
To perch somewhere means to be on the top or edge of something.
...the vast slums that perch precariously on top of the hills around which the citywas built. [VERB preposition/adverb]
perchedadjective
St. John's is a small college perched high up in the hills.
Frank's tinted glasses are perched precariously on his head.
3. verb
If you perch something on something else, you put or balance it on the top or edge of that thing.
The builders have perched a light concrete dome on eight slender columns. [VERB noun + on]
4. verb
When a bird percheson something such as a branch or a wall, it lands on it and stands there.
A blackbird flew down and perched on the parapet outside his window. [VERB preposition]
Synonyms: land, alight, roost More Synonyms of perch
5. countable noun
A perch is a short rod for a bird to stand on.
6. countable noun [usually poss NOUN]
You can refer to a high place where someone is sitting as their perch.
7.
See be knocked off one's perch
8. countable noun
A perch is an edible fish. There are several kinds of perch.
More Synonyms of perch
perch in British English1
(pɜːtʃ)
noun
1.
a pole, branch, or other resting place above ground on which a bird roosts or alights
2.
a similar resting place for a person or thing
3. another name for rod (sense 7)
4.
a solid measure for stone, usually taken as 198 inches by 18 inches by 12 inches
5.
a pole joining the front and rear axles of a carriage
6.
a frame on which cloth is placed for inspection
7. obsolete or dialect
a pole
verb
8. (usually foll by on)
to alight, rest, or cause to rest on or as if on a perch
the bird perched on the branch
the cap was perched on his head
9. (transitive)
to inspect (cloth) on a perch
Derived forms
percher (ˈpercher)
noun
Word origin
C13 perche stake, from Old French, from Latin pertica long staff
perch in British English2
(pɜːtʃ)
nounWord forms: pluralperch or perches
1.
any freshwater spiny-finned teleost fish of the family Percidae, esp those of the genus Perca, such as P. fluviatilis of Europe and P. flavescens (yellow perch) of North America: valued as food and game fishes
2.
any of various similar or related fishes
▶ Related adjective: percoid
Word origin
C13: from Old French perche, from Latin perca, from Greek perkē; compare Greek perkos spotted
perch in American English1
(pɜrtʃ)
noun
1.
a horizontal rod, pole, etc. provided as a roost for birds
2.
anything, as a branch or wire, upon which a bird rests
3.
any resting place, position, or vantage point, esp. a high or insecure one
4.
a.
a unit of linear measure equal to 51⁄2 yards (5.029 meters); rod
b.
a unit of land measure equal to 301⁄4 square yards (25.3 square meters)
c.
a cubic measure for stone, usually equal to 243⁄4 cubic feet (.70 cubic meters)
5.
a pole connecting the front and rear axletrees of a wagon, carriage, etc.
verb intransitive
6.
to alight or rest on or as on a perch
verb transitive
7.
to place or set on or as on a perch
Word origin
ME perche < OFr < L pertica, a pole, staff
perch in American English2
(pɜrtʃ)
nounWord forms: pluralperch or ˈperches
1.
any of a family (Percidae) of small, spiny-finned, freshwater, percoid food fishes of Europe and America; esp., a yellowish species (Perca flavescens) of North America
2.
any of various other spiny-finned bony fishes, as the white perch and the surfperches
Word origin
ME perche < OFr < L perca < Gr perkē < IE base *per-, speckled, colorful > Ger farbe, color, OE forn, trout
More idioms containing
perch
fall off the perch
fall off your perch
knock someone off their perch
Examples of 'perch' in a sentence
perch
These examples have been automatically selected and may contain sensitive content.Read more…
It provides its sons and daughters with a very high perch from which to survey the empire.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Inside are a couple of nest boxes and various perches.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
That they should spend more time outside and less time perched in front of a tablet.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
We perch in a bird hide and watch swans glide round a loch.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Finally he perched the cyclist high above the dust kicked up by horses and carriages.
Judith Flanders Consuming Passions: Leisure and Pleasure in Victorian Britain (2006)
From his various perches he spies on the kaleidoscope of life passing beneath him.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Perched directly in front of her is a talismanic teapot.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Family photographs cover various side tables perched at the end of faintly floral sofas.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
The pair's awkward affections were caught on camera as they perched on a branch.
The Sun (2016)
Half the cast dangle above the stage on ropes or perch precariously on a bamboo scaffold that forms the skeleton of the set.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
The trained bird will then perch on the best man's arm.
The Sun (2009)
In fact, much of the album was pieced together on a laptop perched precariously on packing boxes.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Plus he would keep her company in the shower, peering down from his perch on the edge of the rail.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
You can use small fish other than herring to make the rolls or larger fish such as perch, bass and trout.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
The ageing vehicles were so lightly armed and so uncomfortable and hot to sit in that the Russian soldiers felt safer perched on top.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Having to stand upright, dip to serve drinks and perch on the edge of chairs all night is clearly a workout in itself.
The Sun (2013)
THIS stolen 4x4 gives new meaning to a parking bay as it perches on a cliff.
The Sun (2008)
I spot it first, perched on a branch.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
I painted a picture of the scene, perched on high stools round his kitchen island.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
You're holding on to the end of a crane, perched on the edge of death.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
He played a generous two-hour set in the round, perched on top of a stage shaped like a giant replica of his famous androgynous symbol.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
In other languages
perch
British English: perch VERB
to perch on sth If you perch on something, you sit down lightly on the very edge or tip of it.
He perched on the corner of the desk.
American English: perch
Brazilian Portuguese: empoleirar-se
Chinese: 轻坐在
European Spanish: sentarse en el borde
French: se percher
German: hocken
Italian: appollaiarsi
Japanese: 腰をかける
Korean: 걸터앉다
European Portuguese: empoleirar-se
Latin American Spanish: sentarse en el borde
British English: perch NOUN
A perch is a short rod for a bird to stand on.
A small, yellow bird in a cage sat on its perch outside the house.
American English: perch
Brazilian Portuguese: poleiro
Chinese: 栖枝
European Spanish: percha
French: perchoir
German: Stange
Italian: posatoio
Japanese: 止まり木
Korean: 횃대
European Portuguese: poleiro
Latin American Spanish: percha
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All related terms of 'perch'
sea perch
any of various marine serranid fishes, such as the bass and stone bass, that have an elongated body with a very spiny dorsal fin and occur in all except polar seas
trout-perch
any of a family (Percopsidae) of North American freshwater bony fishes having spiny and fleshy fins , esp., a species ( Percopsis omiscomaycus ) of Canada and the E U.S.
white perch
a small, silvery , edible bass ( Morone americana ) of the same family (Percichthyidae) as white bass, found in coastal waters of the E U.S.
golden perch
an edible freshwater fish, Plectroplites ambiguus, of Australia, often golden or pale yellow in colour
silver perch
a common drum fish ( Bairdiella chrysoura ) of the Atlantic coast of the U.S., with a silvery body and yellow fins
climbing perch
any of a genus ( Anabas ) of freshwater gouramies of Southeast Asia and Africa that can live out of water briefly and travel short distances over land
fall off the perch
to die
fall off your perch
to fail , or suffer damage to your status or position
be knocked off one's perch
If someone is knocked off their perch , they are no longer admired or no longer thought of as important or clever .
knock someone off their perch
to cause someone to fail , or damage their status or position
Chinese translation of 'perch'
perch
(pəːtʃ)
n
(c) (for bird) 栖(棲)息地 (qīxīdì) (片, piàn)
(c)
Word forms:plperch
(= fish) 鲈(鱸)鱼(魚) (lúyú) (条(條), tiáo)
vi
[bird]栖(棲)息 (qīxī)
[person]坐 (zuò)
1 (verb)
Definition
(of birds) to alight or rest on a perch
She perched on the corner of the desk.
Synonyms
sit
Eva pulled up a chair to sit beside them.
rest
Matt's elbow rested on the table.
balance
He balanced his budget by rigid control over public expenditure.
settle
2 (verb)
Definition
to place or position precariously
Her glasses were perched precariously on her head.
Synonyms
place
Children place their trust in us.
put
She put her bag on the floor.
rest
He rested his arms on the back of the chair.
balance
3 (verb)
Definition
(of birds) to alight or rest on a perch
A blackbird perched on the parapet outside the window.
Synonyms
land
The jet landed after a flight of just under three hours.
alight
A thrush alighted on a branch of the pine tree.
roost
(noun)
Definition
a branch or other resting place above ground for a bird
The canary fell off its perch.
Synonyms
resting place
post
Eight wooden posts were driven into the ground.
branch
pole
The sign hung at the top of a large pole.
roost
related words
related adjectivepercoid
Additional synonyms
in the sense of alight
Definition
to land
A thrush alighted on a branch of the pine tree.
Synonyms
land,
light,
settle,
come down,
descend,
perch,
touch down,
come to rest
in the sense of balance
Definition
to compare or equalize the credit and debit totals of (an account)
He balanced his budget by rigid control over public expenditure.
Synonyms
calculate,
rate,
judge,
total,
determine,
estimate,
settle,
count,
square,
reckon,
work out,
compute,
gauge,
tally
in the sense of pole
Definition
a long slender rounded piece of wood, metal, or other material
The sign hung at the top of a large pole.
Synonyms
rod,
post,
support,
staff,
standard,
bar,
stick,
stake,
paling,
shaft,
upright,
pillar,
mast,
picket,
spar,
stave
Synonyms of 'perch'
perch
Explore 'perch' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of post
Definition
a length of wood, metal, or concrete fixed upright to support or mark something