adj
jerky
JUR-kee
adj
1
Moving in sudden, uneven starts and stops rather than smoothly.
"The old lift moved with a jerky, unsettling motion."
"His handwriting looked jerky, as if he'd written it on a moving bus."
noun
1
Meat cut into thin strips and dried, often with added spices, as a shelf-stable snack.
"He packed a bag of beef jerky for the hike."
How to Use Jerky
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither something that moves in rough, uneven bursts, or a chewy dried-meat snack.
Common pairings
beef jerky
jerky movement
turkey jerky
Word Forms
jerkier comparative, jerkied past tense, jerkies plural, jerkies singular, jerkiest superlative
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The old lift moved with a _____, unsettling motion.