jerk

• POS: Noun, Verb (usu participle), Verb (transitive)

CIDE DICTIONARY

jerk, v. t. [Corrupted from Peruv. charqui dried beef.].

 To cut into long slices or strips and dry in the sun; as, to jerk beef. See Charqui.  [1913 Webster]

jerk, v. t. [Akin to yerk, and perh. also to yard a measure.].

•  To beat; to strike.  Florio.  [1913 Webster]
•  To give a quick and suddenly arrested thrust, push, pull, or twist, to; to yerk; as, to jerk one with the elbow; to jerk a coat off.  [1913 Webster]
•  To throw with a quick and suddenly arrested motion of the hand; as, to jerk a stone.  [1913 Webster]

jerk, v. i. 

•  To make a sudden motion; to move with a start, or by starts.  Milton.  [1913 Webster]
•  To flout with contempt.  [1913 Webster]

jerk, n. 

•  A short, sudden pull, thrust, push, twitch, jolt, shake, or similar motion.  [1913 Webster]

  "His jade gave him a jerk."  [1913 Webster]
•  A sudden start or spring.  [1913 Webster]

  "Lobsters . . . swim backwards by jerks or springs."  [1913 Webster]
•  A foolish, stupid, or otherwise contemptible person.  [PJC]
•  The lifting of a weight, in a single rapid motion, from shoulder height until the arms are outstretched above the head; distinguished from press in that the motion in a jerk is more rapid, and the body may be moved under the weight to assist completion of the movement; as, a clean and jerk of two hundred pounds.  [PJC]
•  Calisthenic exercises, such as push-ups or deep knee bends; also called physical jerks.  [PJC]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

jerk, n. & v.
--n.
1 a sharp sudden pull, twist, twitch, start, etc.
2 a spasmodic muscular twitch.
3 (in pl.) Brit. colloq. exercises (physical jerks).
4 sl. a fool; a stupid person.
--v.
1 intr. move with a jerk.
2 tr. pull, thrust, twist, etc., with a jerk.
3 tr. throw with a suddenly arrested motion.
4 tr. Weight-lifting raise (a weight) from shoulder-level to above the head.

Idiom

jerk off coarse sl. masturbate.

Usage

Usually considered a taboo use.

Derivative

jerker n.

jerk, v.tr. cure (beef) by cutting it in long slices and drying it in the sun.

Etymology

Amer. Sp. charquear f. charqui f. Quechua echarqui dried flesh

THESAURUS

jerk

SOB, anhydrate, ass, asshole, backslide, bastard, blast-freeze, bob, bobble, boob, booby, bounce, bowl, brine, bugger, bump, cast, catapult, chuck, chump, chunk, cock, corn, creep, cure, dart, dash, dehydrate, desiccate, didder, ding-a-ling, dingbat, dingdong, dither, dope, drag, dry, dry-cure, dry-salt, embalm, evaporate, fall astern, fall behind, falter, fart, fidget, fire, flick, fling, flip, flip out, flirt, flounce, flutter, fool, fork, freak out on, freeze, freeze-dry, fume, galoot, get behind, get high on, glow, go backwards, go behind, go pitapat, goof, grimace, have the fidgets, have the shakes, heave, heel, hitch, hood, hooligan, hurl, hurtle, idiot, imbecile, irradiate, itch, jackass, jar, jerk back, jerk-off, jig, jigger, jigget, jiggle, jog, joggle, jolt, jostle, jump, kipper, klutz, lance, lapse, launch, let fly, lob, lose ground, louse, lug, lurch, marinade, marinate, meanie, moron, mother, mummify, mutt, nerd, nincompoop, ninny, nip, palpitate, pant, pass, peg, pelt, pickle, pill, pitch, pitchfork, pluck, preservatize, prize sap, pull, pull back, put, put the shot, quake, quaver, quick-freeze, quiver, rat, recede, recidivate, refrigerate, regress, relapse, retrocede, retroflex, retrograde, retrogress, return, revert, rictus, salt, sap, saphead, sawney, schlemiel, schmuck, season, serve, shake, shit, shithead, shitheel, shiver, shock, shudder, shy, sling, slip back, smoke, smoke-cure, snake, snap, snatch, squirm, start, stinkard, stinker, stuff, sudden pull, swell, swell with emotion, thrill, thrill to, throb, throw, tic, tilt, tingle, tingle with excitement, tomfool, toss, toss and turn, tremble, tremor, tug, tumble, turd, turn on to, tweak, twist, twist and turn, twitch, twitter, vellicate, wiggle, wobble, wrench, wrest, wriggle, wring, writhe, yank, yerk

ROGET THESAURUS

jerk

Revolution

N revolution, bouleversement, subversion, break up, destruction, sudden change, radical change, sweeping organic change, change of state, phase change, quantum leap, quantum jump, clean sweep, coup d'etat, counter revolution, jump, leap, plunge, jerk, start, transilience, explosion, spasm, convulsion, throe, revulsion, storm, earthquake, cataclysm, legerdemain, unrecognizable, revolutionary.

Propulsion

VB propel, project, throw, fling, cast, pitch, chuck, toss, jerk, heave, shy, hurl, flirt, fillip, dart, lance, tilt, ejaculate, jaculate, fulminate, bolt, drive, sling, pitchfork, send, send off, let off, fire off, discharge, shoot, launch, release, send forth, let fly, put in orbit, send into orbit, launch into orbit dash, put in motion, set in motion, set agoing, start, give a start, give an impulse to, impel, trundle, expel, carry one off one's legs, put to flight.

Traction

VB draw, pull, haul, lug, rake, drag, tug, tow, trail, train, take in tow, wrench, jerk, twitch, touse, yank.

Agitation

N agitation, stir, tremor, shake, ripple, jog, jolt, jar, jerk, shock, succussion, trepidation, quiver, quaver, dance, jactitation, quassation, shuffling, twitter, flicker, flutter, turbulence, perturbation, commotion, turmoil, disquiet, tumult, tumultuation, hubbub, rout, bustle, fuss, racket, subsultus, staggers, megrims, epilepsy, fits, carphology, chorea, floccillation, the jerks, St. Vitus's dance, tilmus, spasm, throe, throb, palpitation, convulsion, disturbance, chaos, restlessness, ferment, fermentation, ebullition, effervescence, hurly-burly, cahotage, tempest, storm, ground swell, heavy sea, whirlpool, vortex, whirlwind, shaking, agitated tremulous, desultory, subsultory, saltatoric, quasative, shambling, giddy-paced, saltatory, convulsive, unquiet, restless, all of a twitter, by fits and starts, subsultorily, per saltum, hop skip and jump, in convulsions, in fits, tempete dans un verre d'eau.

VB be agitated, shake, tremble, tremble like an aspen leaf, quiver, quaver, quake, shiver, twitter, twire, writhe, toss, shuffle, tumble, stagger, bob, reel, sway, wag, waggle, wriggle, wriggle like an eel, dance, stumble, shamble, flounder, totter, flounce, flop, curvet, prance, cavort, squirm, throb, pulsate, beat, palpitate, go pitapat, flutter, flitter, flicker, bicker, bustle, ferment, effervesce, foam, boil, boil over, bubble up, simmer, toss about, jump about, jump like a parched pea, shake like an aspen leaf, shake to its center, shake to its foundations, be the sport of the winds and waves, reel to and fro like a drunken man, move from post to pillar and from pillar to post, drive from post to pillar and from pillar to post, keep between hawk and buzzard, agitate, shake, convulse, toss, tumble, bandy, wield, brandish, flap, flourish, whisk, jerk, hitch, jolt, jog, joggle, jostle, buffet, hustle, disturb, stir, shake up, churn, jounce, wallop, whip, vellicate.

Ignoramus

N ignoramus, dunce, wooden spoon, no scholar, (imbecility) 499 (folly) 501 moron, imbecile, idiot, fool, jerk, nincompoop, asshole, dilettante, sciolist, smatterer, dabbler, half scholar, charlatan, wiseacre, greenhorn, amateur, novice, tyro, numskull, lubber, fool, pedant, bookless, shallow, ignorant, a wit with dunces and a dunce with wits.