jerk

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[edit] English

[edit] Pronunciation

[edit] Etymology 1

Possibly from Middle English yerk (“‘sudden motion’”)

[edit] Noun

Singular
jerk

Plural
jerks

jerk (plural jerks)

  1. A sudden, often uncontrolled movement, especially of the body.
  2. A quick, often unpleasant tug or shake.
    When I yell "OK," give the mooring line a good jerk!
  3. (US, slang, pejorative) A person with unlikable or obnoxious qualities and behavior, typically mean, self-centered or disagreeable, and often not very intelligent.
    I finally fired him, because he was being a real jerk to his customers, even to some of the staff.
    You really are a jerk sometimes.
  4. (physics, engineering) The rate of change in acceleration with respect to time.
[edit] Usage notes
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[edit] Synonyms
[edit] See also
[edit] Translations
sudden, uncontrolled movement, for instance, of the body
quick, often unpleasant tug or shake
person, usually male, who is unwelcome due to unlikable qualities and behavior
change in acceleration with respect to time
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[edit] Verb

Infinitive
to jerk

Third person singular
jerks

Simple past
jerked

Past participle
jerked

Present participle
jerking

to jerk (third-person singular simple present jerks, present participle jerking, simple past and past participle jerked)

  1. (intransitive) To make a sudden uncontrolled movement.
  2. (transitive) To give a quick, often unpleasant tug or shake.
  3. (British, slang, vulgar) To masturbate.
  4. (obsolete) To beat, to hit.
  5. (obsolete) To throw.
[edit] Translations
intransitive: to make a sudden uncontrolled movement
transitive: to give a quick, often unpleasant tug or shake
The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.
Translations to be checked
[edit] Derived terms

[edit] Etymology 2

From American Spanish charquear, from charqui, from Quechuan echarqui (“‘strips of dried flesh’”).

[edit] Noun

Singular
jerk

Plural
uncountable

jerk (uncountable)

  1. (Caribbean) A rich, spicy Jamaican marinade
  2. (Caribbean) Meat cured by jerking; charqui.
    Jerk chicken is a local favorite.
[edit] Translations
A rich, spicy Jamaican marinade; a dish made with such a marinade
[edit] Related terms

[edit] Verb

Infinitive
to jerk

Third person singular
jerks

Simple past
jerked

Past participle
jerked

Present participle
jerking

to jerk (third-person singular simple present jerks, present participle jerking, simple past and past participle jerked)

  1. To cure (meat) by cutting it into strips and drying it, originally in the sun.
[edit] Translations
To marinade in jerk seasoning

[edit] French

[edit] Etymology

From English

[edit] Noun

jerk m. (plural jerks)

  1. jerk (dance)
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