jerk
A sudden, often uncontrolled movement, especially of the human body.
Noun 4 meanings
A sudden, often uncontrolled movement, especially of the human body.
A quick pull on something.
“When I yell "OK," give the mooring line a good jerk!”
A lift in which the weight is taken with a quick motion from shoulder height to a position above the head with arms fully extended and held there for a brief time.
A dance, popular in Western culture in the 1960s, in which the head and upper body is thrown forwards regularly to the beat of the music.
Verb 4 meanings
To make a sudden uncontrolled movement.
To give a quick, often unpleasant tug or shake.
To lift using a jerk.
To cure (meat) by cutting it into strips and drying it, originally in the sun.
Etymology
Probably from Middle English yerk (“sudden motion”) and Middle English yerkid (“tightly pulled”), from Old English ġearc (“ready, active, quick”) and Old English ġearcian (“to prepare, make ready, procure, furnish, supply”). Cognate with Scots yerk (“to jerk”). Related also to English yare (“ready”).
Similar and opposite words
JERK at a glance
JERK has 4 letters and scores 15 points in Scrabble (J 8 + E 1 + R 1 + K 5) and 17 in Words With Friends, before board bonuses. It ranks #7,036 by how often it appears in everyday English. It is valid in ENABLE, NWL2023, Collins/SOWPODS.
Rhymes with jerk
All rhymes- CLERK11
- PERK10
- BERSERK13
- BERK10
- TWERK12
- MERK10
- KNEEJERK23
- ZERK17
- HAUBERK16
- SALESCLERK16
- SERK8
- NERK8
One letter away
- PERK10
- BERK10
- MERK10
- ZERK17
- JARK15
- SERK8
- NERK8
- YERK11
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