jerk

views updated Jun 27 2018

jerk1 / jərk/ • n. 1. a quick, sharp, sudden movement: he gave a sudden jerk of his head. ∎  a spasmodic muscular twitch. ∎  [in sing.] Weightlifting the raising of a barbell above the head from shoulder level by an abrupt straightening of the arms and legs, typically as the second part of a clean and jerk. 2. inf. a contemptibly obnoxious person.• v. [tr.] make (something) move with a jerk: she jerked her chin up. ∎  [intr.] move with a jerk: his head jerked around the van jerked forward. ∎  suddenly rouse or jolt (someone): the thud jerked her back to reality. ∎  [tr.] Weightlifting raise (a weight) from shoulder level to above the head.PHRASAL VERBS: jerk someone around inf. deal with someone dishonestly or unfairly.jerk off vulgar slang masturbate.DERIVATIVES: jerk·er n.jerk2 • v. [tr.] [usu. as adj.] (jerked) prepare (meat) by marinating it in spices and drying or barbecuing it over a wood fire: jerked beef.• n. meat cooked in this way: fiery Jamaican jerk | [as adj.] jerk chicken.

jerk

views updated Jun 08 2018

jerk2 cure (beef) by cutting it into strips and drying it. XVIII. An earlier form is found in †jerkin beef (XVII); repr. Amer. Sp. charquear, f. charqui — Quechua echarqui dried flesh in long strips.

jerk

views updated Jun 11 2018

jerk (jerk) n. the sudden contraction of a muscle in response to a nerve impulse. knee j. see patellar reflex.

jerk

views updated Jun 11 2018

jerk1 †stroke with a whip; sharp sudden pull or thrust. XVI. gen. synon. with †jert and †yerk (XVI); all three forms may be phonetically symbolical in origin.

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