clean and jerk

American

noun

Weightlifting.

a lift in which a barbell is raised from the floor to shoulder height where it is brought to rest and then, with a lunging movement by the lifter, is thrust overhead so the arms extend straight in the air, being held in this position for a short, specified length of time.

Etymology

Origin of clean and jerk

First recorded in 1935–40

Example Sentences

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See Examples For:

clean and jerk

The 30-year-old finished with a total of 288kg, lifting 126kg in the snatch and 162kg in the clean and jerk.

From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2024

Both the snatch and clean and jerk lifts were personal bests for Campbell.

From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2024

Canadian Nicolas Vachon opted for the heaviest weight in the clean and jerk of 187kg and also looked to have seized the gold, only to drop the bar behind him at the final moment.

From Seattle Times ● Aug. 1, 2022

Djuraev failed a clean and jerk at 234 kilograms but returned to lift 237kg and overtake Martirosyan for gold with a total of 430kg.

From Seattle Times ● Aug. 3, 2021

A very good 197-lb weight lifter lifted 192 kg in a move called the clean and jerk.

From Textbooks ● Feb. 14, 2019

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023