/ ˈdʒɜːki; NAmE ˈdʒɜːrki/ adjective , noun
■ adjective
making sudden starts and stops and not moving smoothly
► jerk·ily / -ɪli; NAmE / adverb :
The car moved off jerkily.
■ noun
[ U ] ( NAmE ) meat that has been cut into long strips and smoked or dried :
beef jerky
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WORD ORIGIN
noun mid 19th cent.: from American Spanish charqui , from Quechua .