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

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

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

She also broke the snatch Commonwealth record with 124kg and did the same in the clean and jerk, with 162kg.

From BBC ● Aug. 3, 2022

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

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