Keeping your pecker up, means to stay cheerful and not lose heart  – a bit like the phrase ‘ don’t panic and just carry  on ‘. Pecker, in this case means nose, mouth or beak (ie, the thing a bird pecks its food with) By keeping your pecker up, you also keep your head up, which helps people look and feel more optimistic.

Keeping your chin up is another version of this phrase and probably the best one to use if you’re unsure of your audience as, for some, pecker refers to an entirely different part of the body!