jerky
/ˈdʒɜː.ki/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈdʒɝː.ki/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈjər-kē/ (ame, mw) · /ˈdʒɜːki/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈdʒɜːrki/ (ame, ipa)
jerky — noun
1. thin strips of meat that have been salted and slowly dried so they keep for a lo
thin strips of meat that have been salted and slowly dried so they keep for a long time without going bad
Nadia packed a bag of beef jerky for the long hike up the mountain.
noun-modifier pattern: beef / turkey + jerky
The corner shop in Tucson sells homemade venison jerky in small paper bags.
noun-modifier pattern naming the meat source
Jiwoo chewed a strip of spicy jerky while waiting for the train to arrive.
Cowboys on long cattle drives lived on coffee, beans, and salty jerky for weeks.
- dried meat
general term; jerky is the specific salted, strip-cut form
- biltong
South African air-dried beef; usually thicker slices and seasoned differently
文法句型
a piece of jerky
beef / turkey / venison jerky
用法筆記
Mass noun in everyday use — measure with 'a piece of', 'a strip of', or 'a bag of'. Almost always preceded by the meat type (beef, turkey, venison) when the source matters.
常見錯誤
jerky — adjective
- jerkypositive
- jerkiercomparative
- jerkiestsuperlative
1. moving in short, quick bursts with sudden stops between them, instead of flowing
moving in short, quick bursts with sudden stops between them, instead of flowing in one smooth line
The old bus made a jerky stop at every traffic light along the coast road.
attributive use: jerky + noun (stop, motion)
Imani's dance steps looked jerky during the first rehearsal but smoothed out by the show.
predicative use: noun + be + jerky
The camera footage was so jerky that the audience felt slightly sick watching the chase scene.
Sana wrote a shopping list with jerky little strokes because her hand was cold.
文法句型
jerky + noun (movements / motion / steps)
be + jerky
用法筆記
Most often describes physical motion (steps, gestures, vehicles, video). Distinguish from sense 2 ('not smooth and pleasant'), which more often describes processes or experiences such as transitions, edits, or rhythms.
常見錯誤
2. having rough, awkward changes from one part to the next, so the whole thing feel
having rough, awkward changes from one part to the next, so the whole thing feels uneven and uncomfortable to watch, hear, or experience
The new editor's jerky transitions between scenes annoyed the film festival audience.
attributive: jerky + transitions / cuts
Mira's first piano recital had a jerky rhythm because she kept losing her place in the score.
attributive: jerky + rhythm / tempo
The conversation felt jerky, with long silences followed by everyone speaking at once.
Noor described the train ride as jerky and unpleasant because the brakes worked badly.
- uneven
broader; covers anything irregular, not only awkwardly so
- choppy
very close synonym, especially for writing, speech, and editing
- disjointed
emphasises lack of connection between parts
文法句型
jerky + noun (transitions / rhythm / edits)
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1: sense 1 names the visible burst-and-stop motion itself, while sense 2 names the unpleasant overall feel of an experience whose parts do not connect smoothly. A video edit can be jerky in sense 1 (frames stutter) or sense 2 (cuts feel abrupt).
常見錯誤
3. behaving in a silly or unkind way that shows poor judgement, in the same sense a
behaving in a silly or unkind way that shows poor judgement, in the same sense as calling someone a jerk
Christopher made a jerky comment about Devika's accent and instantly regretted opening his mouth.
attributive: a jerky + speech-act noun (comment / remark)
Cancelling the surprise party at the last minute was a jerky move on his part.
attributive: a jerky + behaviour noun (move / thing / trick)
Beatrix called the prank video jerky and refused to share it with her followers.
Ryan apologised for the jerky way he had spoken to the new intern that morning.
文法句型
a jerky + noun (idea / comment / move)
用法筆記
Informal American English, derived from the noun 'jerk' (an unpleasant person). Distinguish from senses 1 and 2: this sense describes behaviour or remarks, not physical motion or pacing. Use sparingly in writing — neutral words like 'rude' or 'thoughtless' are safer in formal contexts.