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# jerk

verb (jerk, jerks, jerked, jerking); noun (a jerk, jerks)

«jerk» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. (verb) To move or pull suddenly and roughly. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/J/jerk/#m1)
2. (noun) A quick, sudden movement or pull. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/J/jerk/#m2)
3. (noun, rude, informal) A mean or stupid person. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/J/jerk/#m3)

### In the lessons

In science of forces and in stories it describes sudden movements: «The bus jerked forward», «with a jerk». In safety: a sudden jerk on a lead or rope can hurt. «Knee-jerk reaction» means a quick answer without thinking. The rude meaning is an insult, so it is not polite to call people that.

### Examples

- The car jerked forward when Dad let go of the brake. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/J/jerk/#x1)
- She jerked her hand away from the hot pan. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/J/jerk/#x2)
- The train stopped with a jerk. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/J/jerk/#x3)
- The fish gave a jerk on the line. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/J/jerk/#x4)
- He woke up with a jerk. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/J/jerk/#x5)
- It was rude to call him a jerk. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/J/jerk/#x6)
- The doctor tapped my knee and my leg jerked. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/J/jerk/#x7)
- Seizing one corner of the half-worn blanket, Iktomi pulled it off with a jerk. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/J/jerk/#x8)

### Note

Regular verb: jerked. Adjective «jerky» = moving in sudden stops and starts; «jerky» (noun) is also dried meat. Calling someone «a jerk» is name-calling and can be hurtful.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «jerk» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/J/jerk/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«jerk» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/jerk.html) on Mova free.