jerks

1. A sudden, often uncontrolled movement, especially of the body.
2. A quick, often unpleasant tug or shake.

   When I yell "OK," give the mooring line a good jerk!

3. A dull or stupid person.
4. A person with unlikable or obnoxious qualities and behavior, typically mean, self-centered or disagreeable.

   I finally fired him, because he was being a real jerk to his customers, even to some of the staff.

5. The rate of change in acceleration with respect to time.
6. A soda jerk.
7. A lift in which the weight is taken with a quick motion from shoulder height to a position above the head with arms fully extended and held there for a brief time.

1. To make a sudden uncontrolled movement.
2. To give a quick, often unpleasant tug or shake.
3. To masturbate.
4. To beat, to hit.
5. To throw with a quick and suddenly arrested motion of the hand.

   to jerk a stone

6. (usually transitive) To lift using a jerk.
7. To flout with contempt.

verb

To cure (meat) by cutting it into strips and drying it, originally in the sun.