dɔɹk dɔːk flɪk hɪtʃ dʒəʊlt dʒoʊlt səˈkɑːd tʌɡ twɪt͡ʃ jæŋk make an uncontrolled, short, jerky motion his face is twitching a sudden abrupt pull an abrupt spasmodic movement raising a weight from shoulder height to above the head by straightening the arms throw or toss with a quick motion flick a piece of paper across the table jerk his head pull, or move with a sudden movement He turned the handle and jerked the door open jump vertically, with legs stiff and back arched the young filly bucked move with abrupt, seemingly uncontrolled motions The patient's legs were jerking meat (especially beef) cut in strips and dried in the sun a dull stupid fatuous person (mechanics) the rate of change of acceleration