pearten

verb

peart·​en

|tᵊn

-ed/-ing/-s

transitive verb

chiefly dialectal : to make peart or cheerful

—usually used with up

intransitive verb

chiefly dialectal : to become peart or cheerful

—usually used with up

when he peartened up, we all took fresh heart

—H. E. Giles

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

• More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
• Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
• Advanced search features
• Ad free!