A dull stupid fatuous person.

synonym: dork.

Roget 146: revolution, bouleversement, subversion, break up; destruction etc. 162; sudden change, radical change, sweeping organic change; change of state, phase change; quantum leap, quantum jump; clean sweep, coup d'etat [Fr.], counter revolution.    jump, leap, plunge, jerk, start, transilience^†; explosion; spasm, convulsion, throe, revulsion; storm, earthquake, cataclysm.    legerdemain etc. (trick) 545.    ... show more

Roget 493: ignoramus, dunce; wooden spoon; no scholar.    [insulting terms for ignorant person:] (imbecility) 499 (folly) 501 moron, imbecile, idiot; fool, jerk, nincompoop, asshole [Vulg.].    [person with superficial knowledge] dilettante, sciolist^†, smatterer, dabbler, half scholar; charlatan; wiseacre.    greenhorn, amateur etc. (dupe) 547; novice, tyro etc. (learner) 541; numskull.    lubber etc. (bungler) 701; fool etc. 501; pedant etc. 492.    ... show more

Dutch: piemel, lul, sukkel, appelflap, augurk, dodo, dombo, domoor, drol, droplul, druiloor, eend, eendvogel, ei, eikel, ezel, ezelskop, ezelsveulen, flapdrol, gehaktbal, hals, hansworst, ignorant, kalf, kalfskop, kloris, koe, kuiken, kwezel, leeghoofd, minkukel, nitwit, oelewapper, oen, oetlul, onbenul, rund, schaapskop, slaapkop, stomkop, stommeling, stommerd, stommerik, sufferd, sufkont, sufkop, uil, uilebal, uilenbal, uilskuiken, waterhoofd, weetniet ... show more
Polish: palant, ciul

An abrupt spasmodic movement.

synonyms: jerking, jolt, saccade.

Roget 315: agitation, stir, tremor, shake, ripple, jog, jolt, jar, jerk, shock, succussion^†, trepidation, quiver, quaver, dance; jactitation^†, quassation^†; shuffling etc. v.; twitter, flicker, flutter.    turbulence, perturbation; commotion, turmoil, disquiet; tumult, tumultuation^†; hubbub, rout, bustle, fuss, racket, subsultus^†, staggers, megrims, epilepsy, fits; carphology^†, chorea, floccillation^†, the jerks, St.    Vitus's dance, tilmus^†.    spasm, throe, throb, palpitation, convulsion.    disturbance, chaos etc. (disorder) 59; restlessness etc. (changeableness) 149.    ferment, fermentation; ebullition, effervescence, hurly-burly, cahotage^†; tempest, storm, ground swell, heavy sea, whirlpool, vortex etc. 312; whirlwind etc. (wind) 349.    ... show more

Dutch: schok

mechanics The rate of change of acceleration.

Meat (especially beef) cut in strips and dried in the sun.

synonyms: jerked meat, jerky.

Raising a weight from shoulder height to above the head by straightening the arms.

A sudden abrupt pull.

synonym: tug.

Dutch: ruk
Polish: szarpanina, tarmoszenie, darcie, szarpanie, szamotanie

Pull, or move with a sudden movement:
— He turned the handle and jerked the door open.

synonym: yank.

Roget 285: draw, pull, haul, lug, rake, drag, tug, tow, trail, train; take in tow.    wrench, jerk, twitch, touse^†; yank [U.S.].    ... show more

Roget 284: propel, project, throw, fling, cast, pitch, chuck, toss, jerk, heave, shy, hurl; flirt, fillip.    dart, lance, tilt; ejaculate, jaculate^†; fulminate, bolt, drive, sling, pitchfork.    send; send off, let off, fire off; discharge, shoot; launch, release, send forth, let fly; put in orbit, send into orbit, launch into orbit dash.    put in motion, set in motion; set agoing^†, start; give a start, give an impulse to; impel etc. 276; trundle etc. (set in rotation) 312; expel etc. 297.    carry one off one's legs; put to flight.    ... show more

Dutch: een ruk geven, sjorren

Move with abrupt, seemingly uncontrolled motions:
— The patient's legs were jerkings.

synonym: twitch.

Make an uncontrolled, short, jerky motion.

synonym: twitch.

Jump vertically, with legs stiff and back arched.

synonyms: buck, hitch.

Roget 315: be agitated &c.; shake; tremble, tremble like an aspen leaf; quiver, quaver, quake, shiver, twitter, twire^†, writhe, toss, shuffle, tumble, stagger, bob, reel, sway, wag, waggle; wriggle, wriggle like an eel; dance, stumble, shamble, flounder, totter, flounce, flop, curvet, prance, cavort [U.S.]; squirm.    throb, pulsate, beat, palpitate, go pitapat; flutter, flitter, flicker, bicker; bustle.    ferment, effervesce, foam; boil, boil over; bubble up; simmer.    toss about, jump about; jump like a parched pea; shake like an aspen leaf; shake to its center, shake to its foundations; be the sport of the winds and waves; reel to and fro like a drunken man; move from post to pillar and from pillar to move from post to pillar and from pillar to post, drive from post to pillar and from pillar to drive from post to pillar and from pillar to post, keep between hawk and buzzard.    agitate, shake, convulse, toss, tumble, bandy, wield, brandish, flap, flourish, whisk, jerk, hitch, jolt; jog, joggle, jostle, buffet, hustle, disturb, stir, shake up, churn, jounce, wallop, whip, vellicate^†.    ... show more

Throw or toss with a quick motion:
— Jerk his head.

synonym: flick.