jerk

The word “jerk” means to move suddenly and sharply, often without control. In plain terms, a short, sudden pull or movement — or, informally, a rude and inconsiderate person.

“Jerk” is pronounced JURK (/ˈd͡ʒɝk/ in IPA).

Here is “jerk” used in a sentence: “The train jerked forward and threw everyone off balance.”

Words with a similar meaning to “jerk” include assbag, assbreath, assbucket, assface, assfag and assfaggot.

Depending on how it is used, “jerk” can be a verb and a noun.

The word “jerk” comes from Old English. Probably from an old English word meaning "ready" or "quick", describing a sudden sharp motion; the Jamaican cooking sense is unrelated and comes from a different, disputed source.

“Jerk” is a fairly common word in modern English.

“Jerk” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to move suddenly and sharply, often without control.

Both involve a quick, sharp pull, but yank emphasizes pulling something hard toward you, as in "he yanked the door open." Jerk covers any sudden, sharp movement, including movements you do not control, so a train can jerk to a halt and a sleeping person's leg can jerk. Yank is almost always a deliberate action; jerk often is not.

Calling someone a jerk labels them an unpleasant or inconsiderate person, so it is insulting, but it sits at the mild end of the scale. It is informal and contains no profanity, which is why it is common in casual speech and family films. It is still best avoided in formal or professional settings.