- 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.
- a contemptibly rude, inconsiderate, or mean person:That jerk just cut me off!
- (in weightlifting) the raising of a weight from shoulder height to above the head by straightening the arms.
- physical jerks.
- a dance, deriving from the twist, in which the dancers alternately thrust out their pelvises and their shoulders.
- paroxysms or violent spasmodic muscular movements, as resulting from excitement evoked by some religious services.
- 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.
- to prepare, dispense, and serve (sodas, ice cream, etc.) at a soda fountain.
- to give a jerk or jerks.
- to move with a quick, sharp motion; move spasmodically.
- to talk in a broken, spasmodic way.
- to work as a soda jerk.
- to dance the jerk.
- to masturbate.
- to preserve (meat, especially beef) by cutting in strips and curing by drying in the sun.
- being or containing a spicy seasoning mixture flavored with allspice, used especially in Jamaican cooking: jerk sauce.
- prepared with jerk flavorings, especially by barbecuing or grilling: jerk chicken.
- to move or cause to move with an irregular or spasmodic motion
- to throw, twist, pull, or push (something) abruptly or spasmodically
- to utter (words, sounds, etc) in a spasmodic, abrupt, or breathless manner
- an abrupt or spasmodic movement
- an irregular jolting motion
- physical exercises
- (plural) US a slang word for chorea
- a person regarded with contempt, esp a stupid or ignorant person
- to preserve (venison, beef, etc) by cutting into thin strips and curing by drying in the sun
- jerked meat, esp beef
