jerk

¹ American  

[jurk] / dʒɜrk /

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.

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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 American  

[jurk] / dʒɜrk /

verb (used with object)

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

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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 British  

/ 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

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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 British  

/ dʒɜːk /

verb

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

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noun

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

Other Word Forms

• jerker noun
• jerking adjective
• jerkingly adverb

Etymology

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

Example Sentences

But in January 2009 while filming the seventh film, he was rapidly jerked back on a harness, leaving him paralysed at the age of 24.

From BBC

“Maybe the Russians, to jerk the U.S. around, are waiving all the formalities,” he said.

From The Wall Street Journal

An early riser, Witkoff begins his day as it ends, pacing with his cellphone on a video call, its camera jerking haphazardly around the interior of his waterfront Miami mansion or private jet.

From The Wall Street Journal

At this week’s trial, Customs and Border Protection officer Joseph Zuraw said Judge Dugan jerked her thumb over her shoulder and told the agents to “get out.”

From The Wall Street Journal

Am I being a jerk if I just don’t do anything at all?

From MarketWatch

Related Words

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