From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishperchperch1 /pɜːtʃ $ pɜːrtʃ/ ●○○ verb 1 → be perched on/above etc something2 → perch (yourself) on something3 [intransitive + on]HBBHIGH if a bird perches on something, it flies down and sits on it→ See Verb table
HBFa type of fish that lives in lakes and rivers
Examples from the Corpus
perch• Unbeknownst to him, a Blue hunter-killer team was perched less than two miles away -- under cover and undetected.• Fond of perching on dead tree or post in water.• She was carrying a young child who was slung in her arms and perched on her right hip.• It also received her welcoming smile, as did a beautiful goldfinch that came down and perched on her toes.• In fact, a good deal of daily life was spent perched on the bamboo matting on top of the cabins.• He was perched on top of a huge cage, looking at the visitors.• She parked the car and hoisted the plastic carriers from the boot, perching the flat, be-ribboned pâtisserie box on top.• The young bird has to perch upright on the rim while it grows its feathers.perchperch2 noun [countable] 1 HBBa branch or stick where a bird sits2 informalHIGH a high place or position, especially one where you can sit and watch something She watched the parade from her perch on her father’s shoulders.3 HBFa type of fish that lives in lakes and riversExamples from the Corpus
perch• Sings more often from a perch.• Kelston for good nets of roach, chub, perch and odd bream from pegs below the weir.• At first Dawn would attempt to continue beyond the far perch where I was waiting, instead of landing on my glove.• He watched the lessons from his perch, and when they were over he ran all the way home.• Anything could knock him off his perch.• But there are plenty of things that threaten anew to knock Clinton off his presidential perch.• Icebergs that last for a week or longer provide perches for bald eagles, cormorants and gulls.• They get a great view of the game from their perch in the press-box.Origin perch1 1. (1200-1300) Old French perche, from Latin pertica “pole”2. (1300-1400) Old French perche, from Latin perca, from Greek perke 