psych 1
/suyk/ , v.t. Informal.
1. to intimidate or frighten psychologically, or make nervous (often fol. 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 fol. by up ): to psych oneself up for an interview.
3. to figure out psychologically; decipher (often fol. by out ): to psych out a problem.
Also, psyche .
[ 1915-20 in earlier sense "to subject to psychoanalysis"; orig. a shortening of PSYCHOANALYZE; in later use (especially in defs. 1 and 2) perh. independent use of PSYCH- ]
psych 2
/suyk/ , n. Informal.
psychology, esp. as a course or field of study: She took two semesters of psych in college.
[ 1890-95; by shortening ]