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From Etymological Dictionary of the English Language, WW Skeat:
JERK to give a sudden movement, throw with a quick action. (E.) Cotgrave has: "Fouetter, to scourge, lash, yerke, or jerke." In Shak. as a sb., L.L.L. iv. 2. 129. "A ierk, verber;" Levins, ed. 1570. "With that which jerks [lashes] the hams of every jade;" Bp. Hall, Satires, b. iii. sat. 5, l. 26. Lowland Sc. yerk, to beat, strike smartly; a smart blow. "To jerke or gerke;" Minsheu, ed. 1627. "A girke or yerke of a rod or whip;" Minsheu's Span. Diet. (E. index). Halliwell also gives: "Girk, a rod; also, to beat." Another form is jert. Cotgrave has: "Attainte, a reach, hit, blow, stroke, ... a gentle nip, quip, or jert, a sleight gird, or taxation." Moreover, the words jert and gird were regarded as equivalent; thus Sherwood has, in his index to Cotgrave: "A jert or gerd, Attainte." The words jerk, jert, and gird are probably all connected, and all had once the same meaning, viz. to strike, esp. with a whip or rod. The only one of these three forms found in ME. is gurden, girden, to strike; see gurden in Stratmann. ... It may be added that the usual meaning of jerk in old authors is to whip, to lash; as partly shown above.
From Slang and Euphemism Dictionary, Richard Spears:
jerk 1. to masturbate. [British, 1800s] 2. a masturbator. From JERK OFF (sense 2). For synonyms see HUSKER [US Slang, 1800s-pres]. 3. an oaf or incompetent fool. The connection with sense 1 is rarely recognized [except on the AWAD board]. [US slang, 1800s-pres] ...
I shall now snigger whenever I speak of the Nebraska Cornhuskers, for reasons other than their basketball prowess.
Entire Thread Subject Posted By Posted Jerks stales 08/17/01 07:44 AM Re: Jerks Faldage 08/17/01 01:43 PM Re: Jerks Fiberbabe 08/17/01 02:05 PM Re: Jerk chicken Faldage 08/17/01 02:38 PM Re: Jerk chicken Flatlander 08/17/01 02:53 PM Max Quordlepleen 08/17/01 08:50 PM Re: Jerks wwh 08/17/01 11:39 PM Pemmican TEd Remington 08/20/01 04:35 PM While we're on the subject... belligerentyouth 08/21/01 12:24 PM Re: While we're on the subject... wwh 08/21/01 01:18 PM Re: Who would eat such a snack??? Faldage 08/21/01 02:00 PM Re: While we're on the subject... Bean 08/21/01 02:31 PM Re: While we're on the subject... maverick 08/21/01 04:08 PM Re: While we're on the subject... of troy 08/21/01 06:31 PM Re: Jerks stales 08/20/01 12:54 AM Max Quordlepleen 08/20/01 02:44 AM Re: Jerks and other AWADdies Faldage 08/20/01 11:03 AM Re: Jerks Jazzoctopus 08/17/01 04:57 PM Re: Jerks Faldage 08/17/01 05:02 PM Re: Jerks Sparteye 08/17/01 10:51 PM
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