jerk away
(redirected from jerking away)jerk away
1. To pull back or away from someone or something very quickly or abruptly. He jerked away when I tried to pat him on the shoulder. The dog jerked away from the beehive after being stung on the nose.
2. To yank someone or something away from someone or something else very quickly or abruptly. In this usage, a noun or pronoun can be used between "jerk" and "away." I had barely made it through the first paragraph when my older brother jerked away my book. The officer jerked the hostage away from the criminal.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
jerk something away (from someone, something, or an animal)
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.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.