ENGLISH
REFERENCE

psych

interj.
C1 Advanced US //ˈsaɪk// UK //sˈaɪk// psych Informal Slang

interj. something you say after you play a trick on someone or tell a lie to show you were joking. It is a way of saying 'I got you' or 'just kidding'.

interj. used to indicate that a preceding statement was a joke, a lie, or a deceptive trick. Common in casual North American English speech.


SIMPLE

I'm moving to Mars tomorrow—psych!

CONTEXTUAL

He told his sister he had eaten all her chocolate, but then shouted 'psych!' and pulled the unopened bar from his pocket.

COMPLEX

The comedian often used 'psych' to punctuate his bait-and-switch jokes, leading the audience toward a serious conclusion before subverting their expectations with a sudden, playful reveal.

Origin

Clipping.

Usage

Typically used as a standalone exclamation immediately following a deceptive statement.

Pitfall

sikepsychLearners often use the phonetic spelling 'sike', but the correct spelling is 'psych', as it is short for 'psych out'.

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