jerk
1a quick, sharp pull, thrust, twist, throw, or the like; a sudden movement: The train started with a jerk.
a spasmodic, usually involuntary, muscular movement, as the reflex action of pulling the hand away from a flame.
any sudden, quick movement of the body, as in dodging something.
Slang. a contemptibly rude, inconsiderate, or mean person:That jerk just cut me off!
(in weightlifting) the raising of a weight from shoulder height to above the head by straightening the arms.
jerks, British Informal. physical jerks.
a dance, deriving from the twist, in which the dancers alternately thrust out their pelvises and their shoulders.
the jerks, paroxysms or violent spasmodic muscular movements, as resulting from excitement evoked by some religious services.
to pull, twist, move, thrust, or throw with a quick, suddenly arrested motion: She jerked the child by the hand.
to utter in a broken, spasmodic way.
Informal. to prepare, dispense, and serve (sodas, ice cream, etc.) at a soda fountain.
to give a jerk or jerks.
to move with a quick, sharp motion; move spasmodically.
to talk in a broken, spasmodic way.
Informal. to work as a soda jerk.
to dance the jerk.
jerk off, Slang: Vulgar. to masturbate.
Origin of jerk
1Other words from jerk
- jerk·er, noun
- jerk·ing·ly, adverb
Other definitions for jerk (2 of 2)
to preserve (meat, especially beef) by cutting in strips and curing by drying in the sun.
being or containing a spicy seasoning mixture flavored with allspice, used especially in Jamaican cooking: jerk sauce.
prepared with jerk flavorings, especially by barbecuing or grilling: jerk chicken.
Origin of jerk
2Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use jerk in a sentence
The upward jerking motion keeps fluid from dripping into the air below.
How physics lets a toy boat float upside down | Maria Temming | October 7, 2020 | Science News For StudentsJobs has been associated with a belief that his undoubted genius excused any kind of behavior, even to the point where many believe a founder actually has to be a jerk to be a genius.
Imagine you work in an office where your boss, who you think is a jerk, needs your help to finish his projects.
A few months into my often twice-weekly trips to Top Taste, I asked Sammy how he made his jerk chicken.
Until I Can Go Back to My Favorite Restaurant, This Jerk Paste Is the Next Best Thing | Elazar Sontag | September 25, 2020 | EaterUse this knee-jerk reaction to send web traffic in your direction by adding specific content on your website that answer their questions.
The guard shoved him against the wall, jerked his hands behind him and handcuffed him.
The Cost: What Stop and Frisk Does to a Young Man’s Soul | Rilla Askew | May 21, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTIf she were in a panic, or terrified, or jerked awake during a fire, she would not remember how to produce those American sounds.
This Week’s Hot Reads: May 20, 2013 | Cameron Martin, Jessica Ferri, Jimmy So | May 20, 2013 | THE DAILY BEAST“I got jerked both ways in the car, hit my head on the divider, and then hit my legs on the side of the car,” he says.
Ezra Miller on ‘Perks of Being a Wallflower,’ Being Bisexual & More | Marlow Stern | September 18, 2012 | THE DAILY BEASTHe jerked the window up with such force that it jammed after having opened only five inches.
While Roth is clearly annoyed at being "jerked around," others say it might make sense for Lautner to book projects fast.
She sat straight up in bed, and jerked her hands to her head, and screamed long and terribly.
The Homesteader | Oscar Micheaux"Here's my authority, yuh blasted runt," he yelled, and jerked his six-shooter to a level with the policeman's breast.
Raw Gold | Bertrand W. SinclairIt took twenty Eskimos to hold it when allowed full play, and even these it jerked about in a manner that highly diverted them.
The Giant of the North | R.M. BallantyneMy hand flew to mine as I jerked the dun up short, but I wasn't fast enough—and Hicks was too close.
Raw Gold | Bertrand W. SinclairFrom the moment that they jerked up their horses at MacRae's call, I had an odd sense of impending trouble.
Raw Gold | Bertrand W. Sinclair
British Dictionary definitions for jerk (1 of 2)
/ (dʒɜːk) /
to move or cause to move with an irregular or spasmodic motion
to throw, twist, pull, or push (something) abruptly or spasmodically
(tr often foll by out) to utter (words, sounds, etc) in a spasmodic, abrupt, or breathless manner
an abrupt or spasmodic movement
an irregular jolting motion: the car moved with a jerk
Also called: physical jerks (plural) British informal physical exercises
(plural) US a slang word for chorea
slang, mainly US and Canadian a person regarded with contempt, esp a stupid or ignorant person
Origin of jerk
1Derived forms of jerk
- jerker, noun
- jerking, adjective, noun
British Dictionary definitions for jerk (2 of 2)
/ (dʒɜːk) /
to preserve (venison, beef, etc) by cutting into thin strips and curing by drying in the sun
Also called: jerky jerked meat, esp beef
Origin of jerk
2Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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