jerk

Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

Contents 1 English 1.1 Pronunciation 1.2 Etymology 1 1.2.1 Noun 1.2.1.1 Usage notes 1.2.1.2 Synonyms 1.2.1.3 See also 1.2.1.4 Translations 1.2.2 Verb 1.2.2.1 Translations 1.2.2.2 Derived terms 1.3 Etymology 2 1.3.1 Noun 1.3.1.1 Translations 1.3.1.2 Related terms 1.3.2 Verb 1.3.2.1 Translations 2 French 2.1 Etymology 2.2 Noun

[edit] English

[edit] Pronunciation

• (British) IPA: /dʒɜ:k/
• (US) IPA: /dʒɝk/
•  Audio (US)^{help, file}
• Rhymes: -ɜː(r)k

[edit] Etymology 1

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

[edit] Noun

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

Wikipedia

• Jerk is measured in metres per second cubed (m/s³) in SI units , or in feet per second cubed (ft/s³) in imperial units.

[edit] Synonyms

• (sudden movement): jolt, lurch, jump
• (quick tug): yank
• (unlikable person): asshole, bastard.
• (physics, change in acceleration): jolt (British), surge, lurch

[edit] See also

• acceleration
• displacement
• velocity

[edit] Translations

[edit] Verb

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

[edit] Derived terms

• jerk off
• jerksome

[edit] Etymology 2

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

[edit] Noun

jerk (uncountable)

1. (Caribbean) A rich, spicy Jamaican marinade
2. (Caribbean) Meat cured by jerking; charqui.

   Jerk chicken is a local favorite.

[edit] Translations

[edit] Related terms

• jerky (noun)

[edit] Verb

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

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[edit] French

[edit] Etymology

From English

[edit] Noun

jerk m. (plural jerks)

1. jerk (dance)