clean and jerk

noun

, Weightlifting.

1. 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.

Word History and Origins

Origin of clean and jerk¹

First recorded in 1935–40