a quick, sharp pull, thrust, twist, throw, or the like; a sudden movement: The train started with a jerk.
a spasmodic, usually involuntary, muscular movement, as the reflex action of pulling the hand away from a flame.
any sudden, quick movement of the body, as in dodging something.
Slang. a contemptibly naive, fatuous, foolish, or inconsequential person.
(in weightlifting) the raising of a weight from shoulder height to above the head by straightening the arms.
jerks,BritishInformal. physical jerks.
a dance, deriving from the twist, in which the dancers alternately thrust out their pelvises and their shoulders.
the jerks,paroxysms or violent spasmodic muscular movements, as resulting from excitement evoked by some religious services.
verb (used with object)
to pull, twist, move, thrust, or throw with a quick, suddenly arrested motion: She jerked the child by the hand.
to utter in a broken, spasmodic way.
Informal. to prepare, dispense, and serve (sodas, ice cream, etc.) at a soda fountain.
verb (used without object)
to give a jerk or jerks.
to move with a quick, sharp motion; move spasmodically.
to talk in a broken, spasmodic way.
Informal. to work as a soda jerk.
to dance the jerk.
Verb Phrases
jerk off,Slang: Vulgar. to masturbate.
Origin of jerk
1
1540–50; 1935–40 for def. 4; perhaps dialectal variant of yerk to draw stitches tight (shoemaker's term), thus making the shoe ready to wear, Old English gearcian to prepare, make ready
Today, more than two decades after I arrived here in that rental van, this allegiance manifests as knee-jerk defensiveness when others take shots at California.
In defense of California|James Temple|September 4, 2020|MIT Technology Review
In a container, liquid can be levitated over a layer of gas by shaking the container up and down because the repeated, upward jerking motion keeps fluid from dripping into the air below.
Toy boats float upside down underneath a layer of levitated liquid|Maria Temming|September 2, 2020|Science News
That would be a heartbreaking experience for anyone to go through, and I’m so sorry that this jerk betrayed your trust like that.
Social Media Feels Increasingly Toxic. What Do I Do?|Blair Braverman|August 29, 2020|Outside Online
Make the jerk bleed for your bike and they’re far less likely to bother at all.
The most secure ways to lock up your bike|By Michael Frank/Cycle Volta|August 26, 2020|Popular Science
Bill Gates was widely considered to come off like an evasive jerk in his testimony at the time … Which means he is now perfectly positioned to help Jeff Bezos learn from his mistakes in the Amazon titan’s first appearance before Congress.
Advice for Jeff Bezos on testifying before Congress from me, the totally real Bill Gates|Sarah Todd|July 27, 2020|Quartz
You write a lot about how you were a jerk or a snob when it came to comedy or film.
Patton Oswalt on Fighting Conservatives With Satire|William O’Connor|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
You cannot perform or externalize your vanity as overtly as Bieber did without again emphasizing to the world you are a jerk.
Justin Bieber's Abs Cannot Save Him|Tim Teeman|September 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
If he had a bad experience working with me, I was probably a jerk.
Co-Stars Who Hated Each Other: Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams in 'The Notebook' and More|Marlow Stern|July 4, 2014|DAILY BEAST
So, you know, I think Suey Park falls pretty far on the “jerk” end of the scale.
An Ode to Angry Asians: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Suey Park|Arthur Chu|April 7, 2014|DAILY BEAST
After all, pot is practically legal these days, while being a jerk at the Anne Frank museum is still highly frowned upon.
Should Beyoncé Have Instagrammed From the Anne Frank House?|Amy Zimmerman|March 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
As soon as Welcome could jerk the pin loose, he whirled and stumped furiously back in the direction of Chub and Penny.
Motor Matt's Daring, or, True to His Friends|Stanley R. Matthews
"Wimmen are kind by natur," said the sailor, shutting his jackknife with a jerk, the only sign of impatience yet visible.
Silent Struggles|Ann S. Stephens
I followed him down a curving path, and at a turn he gave his head a jerk over his right shoulder.
Brownsmith's Boy|George Manville Fenn
She raised her head with a jerk; he saw the fear of himself in her eyes—and knew.
Tiny Luttrell|Ernest William Hornung
Suddenly the car stopped with a jerk right in the middle of the road.
Men in War|Andreas Latzko
British Dictionary definitions for jerk (1 of 2)
jerk1
/ (dʒɜːk) /
verb
to move or cause to move with an irregular or spasmodic motion
to throw, twist, pull, or push (something) abruptly or spasmodically
(tr often foll by out) to utter (words, sounds, etc) in a spasmodic, abrupt, or breathless manner
noun
an abrupt or spasmodic movement
an irregular jolting motionthe car moved with a jerk
Also called: physical jerks(plural)Britishinformalphysical exercises
(plural)US a slang word for chorea
slang, mainlyUS and Canadiana person regarded with contempt, esp a stupid or ignorant person
Derived forms of jerk
jerker, nounjerking, adjective, noun
Word Origin for jerk
C16: probably variant of yerk to pull stitches tight in making a shoe; compare Old English gearcian to make ready
British Dictionary definitions for jerk (2 of 2)
jerk2
/ (dʒɜːk) /
verb(tr)
to preserve (venison, beef, etc) by cutting into thin strips and curing by drying in the sun