clean and jerk

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.

Nearby words

claytonia, clc, cld., clea, clean, clean and jerk, clean as a whistle, clean bill of health, clean breast, clean eating, clean energy

Origin of clean and jerk

First recorded in 1935–40