jerry
jerry — noun
1. a male first name that can be a full name by itself or a short form of longer na
a male first name that can be a full name by itself or a short form of longer names such as Jeremy and Jeremiah
Otis walked past Jerry's house every morning on his way to school.
proper noun in possessive form
Tyler asked the librarian whether Jerry had returned the book about trains.
When the teacher called for Jerry, both boys in the front row looked up.
Ada borrowed Jerry's bicycle while hers was being repaired at the shop.
文法句型
Jerry [verb] ...
2. a strongly offensive name for a German national that was common among British an
a strongly offensive name for a German national that was common among British and Allied troops in the twentieth-century wars between 1914 and 1945. The word is now regarded as highly insulting and should never be spoken or written in modern contexts.
In old war diaries, some soldiers wrote the word Jerry to describe German troops.
historical context of WWII slang
Historians warn that the nickname Jerry for German people is now deeply offensive.
The novel's narrator uses the term Jerry to show the casual hatred of wartime.
Grandma said that calling a man Jerry was common in 1940s London.
- German
the neutral, correct term — use this instead
文法句型
the word Jerry used as a countable noun referring to German soldiers or people
用法筆記
This word is highly offensive and should never be used today. Learners may encounter it only in historical texts, war memoirs, or old films. Using it in modern conversation would be deeply insulting to German people.
常見錯誤
jerry — verb
- jerrypresent simple I / you / we / they
- jerries3rd person singular
- jerrying-ing form
- jerriedpast simple
1. to build or fix something in a rough, quick way by using whatever materials happ
to build or fix something in a rough, quick way by using whatever materials happen to be nearby, usually producing a result that is not strong or long-lasting
Ishaan jerry-rigged a bookshelf from old crates and a length of rope.
compound form: jerry-rigged
The garden shed was so badly jerry-built that it collapsed during the first heavy rain.
Xiu jerry-rigged the broken fan with tape and a wire coat hanger.
Tamar and her uncle jerry-built a small raft from empty plastic barrels.
Vinícius jerry-rigged the leaky pipe instead of calling a professional repair person.
- cobble together
similar meaning of assembling from available parts, but slightly less negative in tone
- rig up
strongly emphasises the temporary, improvised nature of the construction
- patch up
focuses on repairing damage rather than building something new
- improvise
broader meaning; can be neutral or positive (creative), while jerry-rigged implies poor quality
- build properly
implies using correct materials and following proper methods
- construct well
the opposite of the quick, weak result of jerry-building
文法句型
jerry-rig + noun phrase
jerry-built + noun phrase (adjective)
用法筆記
This sense is almost always found in the compound forms jerry-rig (verb) and jerry-built (adjective). The meaning refers specifically to work done with inadequate materials, not just to fast work. Distinguish from jury-rigged, which originally referred to a temporary sailing-ship repair using available parts at sea.