jerk

¹

[jurk]

noun

1. a quick, sharp pull, thrust, twist, throw, or the like; a sudden movement.

   The train started with a jerk.

2. a spasmodic, usually involuntary, muscular movement, as the reflex action of pulling the hand away from a flame.

3. any sudden, quick movement of the body, as in dodging something.

4. Slang.,  a contemptibly rude, inconsiderate, or mean person.

   That jerk just cut me off!

5. (in weightlifting) the raising of a weight from shoulder height to above the head by straightening the arms.

6. British Informal.,  jerks, physical jerks.

7. a dance, deriving from the twist, in which the dancers alternately thrust out their pelvises and their shoulders.

8. the jerks, paroxysms or violent spasmodic muscular movements, as resulting from excitement evoked by some religious services.

verb (used with object)

1. to pull, twist, move, thrust, or throw with a quick, suddenly arrested motion.

   She jerked the child by the hand.

2. to utter in a broken, spasmodic way.

3. Informal.,  to prepare, dispense, and serve (sodas, ice cream, etc.) at a soda fountain.

verb (used without object)

1. to give a jerk or jerks.

2. to move with a quick, sharp motion; move spasmodically.

3. to talk in a broken, spasmodic way.

4. Informal.,  to work as a soda jerk.

5. to dance the jerk.

verb phrase

1. jerk off,  to masturbate.

jerk

²

[jurk]

verb (used with object)

1. to preserve (meat, especially beef) by cutting in strips and curing by drying in the sun.

adjective

1. being or containing a spicy seasoning mixture flavored with allspice, used especially in Jamaican cooking.

   jerk sauce.

2. prepared with jerk flavorings, especially by barbecuing or grilling.

   jerk chicken.

noun

1. jerky.

jerk

¹

/ dʒɜːk /

verb

1. to move or cause to move with an irregular or spasmodic motion

2. to throw, twist, pull, or push (something) abruptly or spasmodically

3. to utter (words, sounds, etc) in a spasmodic, abrupt, or breathless manner

noun

1. an abrupt or spasmodic movement

2. an irregular jolting motion

   the car moved with a jerk

3. Also called: physical jerks. informal,  (plural) physical exercises

4. (plural) a slang word for chorea

5. slang,  a person regarded with contempt, esp a stupid or ignorant person

jerk

²

/ dʒɜːk /

verb

1. to preserve (venison, beef, etc) by cutting into thin strips and curing by drying in the sun

noun

1. Also called: jerky. jerked meat, esp beef

Other Word Forms

• jerker noun
• jerkingly adverb
• jerking adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of jerk¹

First recorded in 1540–50; 1935–40 jerk ¹ for def. 4; earlier gi(e)rk, ierke; origin uncertain; perhaps dialectal variant of yerk “to draw stitches tight” (shoemaker's term), thus making the shoe ready to wear, from Old English gearcian “to prepare, make ready”

Origin of jerk²

First recorded in 1700–10; back formation from jerky ²

Word History and Origins

Origin of jerk¹

C16: probably variant of yerk to pull stitches tight in making a shoe; compare Old English gearcian to make ready

Origin of jerk²

C18: back formation from jerky, from _charqui

Example Sentences

Born in Nebraska and raised in South Dakota, Leahy worked in his youth as a cowhand, a soda jerk and a clerk in a trading post.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

When Megan Hastings was 10 years old she began having "jerking tics" but thought it was anxiety.

Read more on BBC

As for Arthur, the eye midge grants him a second life of sorts, popping itself into his dead skull and jerking him from prone into a seated position.

Read more on Salon

“At the beginning of the disease nobody knew he had any issue, other than he seemed like a total jerk,” she recalled.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Dancers in bright costumes filled the streets as music filled the air, while rows of stalls offered fragrant jerk chicken, curry goat and rum punch cocktails.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• bounce 
• bump 
• fling 
• flop 
• hurtle 
• jolt 
• lug 
• snatch 
• thrust 
• tug 
• twitch 
• wiggle 
• wrench 
• wriggle 
• wring 
• yank