jerk

To tease someone, often by trying to convince him or her of something untrue. Quit jerking my chain, I know there isn't a Hollywood director calling me right now. I love jerking my sister's chain—it's almost too easy to annoy her.

to drive someone or something away by beating. They beat the enemy off. The army beat off the savage attack, saving the town. I was able to beat off the intruder.

sl. to waste time. Stop jacking around and get some work done! The kids spend most of the day jerking around.

Sl. to give someone a difficult time; to harass someone. Come on! Stop jacking me around! Max started jerking Lefty around, and it looked as if there was going to be trouble. You jack around everyone you know!

to hassle someone; to waste someone's time. Stop jerking me around and give me my money back. They sure like to jerk around people in that music shop.

to pull someone or something out of something sharply and quickly. She jerked the baby out of the crib and ran from the burning room. I jerked the puppy out of the mud. She jerked out the puppy before it got soaked.

to snatch something away or quickly pull something back from someone or an animal. I jerked the bone away from the dog. Kelly jerked the ant poison away from the child. Mary jerked her hand away from the fire.

to snatch or quickly pull something off someone or something. (Of is usually retained before pronouns.) Alice jerked the top off the box and poured out the contents. She jerked off the box top.

to pull something out of someone or something quickly. The doctor jerked the arrow out of Bill's leg. He jerked out the arrow.

Fig. an automatic or reflex reaction; an immediate reaction made without examining causes or facts. With one of his typical knee-jerk reactions, he said no immediately, citing some moral argument that no one understood.

to deceive someone about whether or not you intend to do something They've been jerking us around for a long time, first by not offering us a contract or then by saying they won't sign one.

to rub your sex organs with your hand The only naked male I saw before I got married was a farm worker jerking off in a barn.

Repulse, drive away by blows, as in We tried to beat off the flying ants swarming about us. Originating in the mid-1600s in a military context, this term was being used for other activities by the mid-1700s.

Take unfair advantage of, manipulate or deceive, as in Leave me alone; quit jerking me around! or He was jerking you around when he said he was home all evening. [Slang; mid-1900s]

Also, jack off. Masturbate, as in His roommate was always jerking off. [ Vulgar slang; first half of 1900s]

Drug store counterman. Those of us old enough to remember when pharmacies sold nothing but medicine and medications, magazines and comic books, candy, and soda fountain treats, a man behind the zinc-and-marble counter made and dispensed sodas, frappes, milkshakes, malteds, and other ice cream–based concoctions, as well as banana splits, Cokes, lime rickeys, and dozens of other refreshments. He was the soda jerk, the name coming from the fountain dispensers with handles that he jerked down to pour seltzer and other soft drinks. For some unclear reason, women weren't soda jerks.