jerk Hear it!

jerk¹ Definition

jerk (jʉrk)

transitive verb

  1. to pull, twist, push, thrust, or throw with a sudden, sharp movement
  2. Informal to make and serve (ice cream sodas)

Etymology: var. of archaic yerk < ?

intransitive verb

  1. to move with a jerk or in jerks
  2. to twitch

noun

  1. a sharp, abrupt movement; quick pull, twist, push, etc.
  2. a sudden muscular contraction caused by a reflex action
  3. Slang a person regarded as disagreeable, contemptible, etc., esp. as the result of foolish or mean behavior
  4. Weight Lifting a lift in which the barbell is raised upward from shoulder level with the arms completely extended

jerk¹ Idioms

jerk off

Vulgar, Slang to masturbate: used chiefly of males

jerk out

to utter sharply and abruptly

jerk² Definition

jerk (jʉrk)

transitive verb

to preserve (meat) by slicing into strips and drying, esp. originally in the sun

Etymology: altered (after jerk) < jerky

noun

jerky

jerk Synonyms

jerk

n.

  1. A spasmodic movement

    twitch, tic, shrug, wiggle, shake, quiver, flick, snap, yank, tug, wrench, lurch, jolt, jump, jounce, jiggle; see also bump 1.

  2. *A contemptible person

    brute, rat*, fool, chump*; see fool 1, rascal.

jerk Synonyms

jerk

v.

  1. To undergo a spasm

    twitch, shrug, have a convulsion, wriggle, shake, quake, quiver, shiver, wiggle, jiggle, dance; see also shake 1, twitch 2.

  2. To move an object with a quick tug

    snatch, grab, tug, yank, whisk, pluck, snag, hook, flip, bounce, fling, hurtle, flick, wrench, twist, pull.

jerk Usage Examples

Object

  • movement: I mainly concentrate on creating a nice shaped pattern, consistent throws to the same height, clean catches, no jerking arm movements.
  • head: The woman's head jerked round to look at Mary, surprise registering on her ravaged face.

Adjective modifier

  • myoclonic: They don't really annoy me and nothing like the myoclonic jerks which do show up on EEG.
  • sudden: A sudden jerk will compress the nylon too far.
  • physical: I can give you the works on physical jerks, Private lessons to ladies in slimming.

Modifies a noun

  • reaction: No need for the knee jerk reaction week's prior.
  • chicken: By the time we arrived, they had laid waste most of the kitchen's jerk chicken - we cleaned up the rest.
  • etc: In most cases your resultant CD has distortion ( jerks etc ) in parts of your movie.
  • response: The shift system is the result of knee jerk response to the European law.

Modifying Another Word

  • violently: It was very alarming as she jerked violently and rolled around the cage.
  • awake: Mrs. Su knocks on the door of Beibei's room and her husband jerks awake, quickly wiping the corner of his mouth.
  • backward: Des started the electric motor, and immediately the milk float jerked backward.
  • suddenly: However, do not count on this to save you, as the bar will suddenly jerk to one side.

Followed by an intransitive particle

  • around: More often than not, the camera jerks around of its own accord, settling at appalling angles.
  • off: I didn't even want to jerk off with my pillow.

Possessives

  • reaction: The resulting ' knee jerk ' emotional reaction has the potential to use a great deal your personal energy.

Preposition: of

  • limb: Some children may also have very frequent jerks of the limbs or trunk.
  • arm: Focal jerking of one arm may occur in tight carotid stenosis.

Noun used with modifier

  • knee: No need for the knee jerk reaction week's prior.
  • muscle: They involve abrupt muscle jerks in part or all the body.
jerk Quotes

Er l a« chelte und sagte: 'Von mir willst du denWeg erfahren?' 'Ja,'sagte ich,'da ich ihn selbst nich finden kann.' 'Gibs auf, gibs auf,'sagte er und wandte sich mit einem groÞen Schwunge ab, so wie Leute, die mit ihrem Lachen allein sein wollen. Hesmiled and said: 'Youasking metheway?' 'Yes,'Isaid, 'since I cannot find it myself.' 'Give it up! Give it up!'said he, and turned with a sudden jerk, like someone who wants to be alone with his laughter.

—Kafka, Franz

Browse dictionary entries near jerk

  1. Jericho
  2. Jerez de la Frontera
  3. Jeremy
  4. Jeremiah
  5. jeremiad
  6. jerboa
  7. Jer
  8. jequirity
  9. Jephthah
  10. jeopardy
  1. jerk-off
  2. jerkin
  3. jerkwater
  4. jerky
  5. Jeroboam
  6. Jerome
  7. Jerry
  8. jerry-built
  9. jerrycan
  10. jersey