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.

Slang . a contemptibly naive, fatuous, foolish, or inconsequential person.

(in weightlifting) the raising of a weight from shoulder height to above the head by straightening the arms.

jerks, British Informal . physical jerks.

a dance, deriving from the twist, in which the dancers alternately thrust out their pelvises and their shoulders.

the jerks, 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.

Informal . 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.

Informal . to work as a soda jerk.

to dance the jerk. ?

jerk off, Slang

Vulgar to masturbate.

noun

bounce , bump , flick , flop , jolt , pull , quake , quiver , shiver , snag , thrust , tug , tweak , twitch , wiggle , wrench , wriggle , yank , brute , fool , idiot , nincompoop , ninny , oaf , rascal , lurch , snap , ass , imbecile , jackass , mooncalf , moron , nitwit , simple , simpleton , softhead , tomfool , bore

verb

bounce , bump , dance , flick , fling , flip , flop , grab , hook , hurtle , jolt , lug , pluck , pull , quake , quiver , seize , shiver , shrug , sling , snag , snatch , throw , thrust , tug , tweak , twitch , vellicate , whisk , wiggle , wrench , wrest , wriggle , wring , yank , lurch , snap , ass , dope , dunce , fool , idiot , jiggle , nerd , oaf , reflex , schmo , spasm , tic , twist , yerk