What a Jerk! Trivia Quiz

Answer: To lash with a whip

Jerk has its origins in an Anglo-Saxon word "gyrd" meaning rod. From this it came to mean to scourge with a rod, then with a whip, and finally to pull suddenly - as you might yank on something with a whip.

Answer: The rate of change of acceleration

Jerk is sometimes called "jolt" or "surge". It's particularly important when building things, like roller coasters, where people should not be subjected to excessive changes in acceleration. In those cases, they might suffer whiplash injuries. Jerk is measured with a device called a jerkmeter.

Answer: A drug store in the US in the 1950s

The soda jerk was the guy who worked the soda fountain and made the ice cream sodas. Ice cream sodas were mixtures of syrup, ice cream, and sparkling water.

Answer: Clean

The "clean" is the first part of the lift where the athlete pulls the weight from the floor to the shoulders. The "jerk" is the second part, where the athlete pushes the weight up above the head.

Answer: In the evening when going to sleep

The hypnic jerk is that weird "jump" you get when you start to fall asleep on the sofa in front of the TV, and suddenly you shake yourself awake, knowing that you're not supposed to be going to sleep there! If people aren't getting regular sleep, it happens more often.

Answer: Jamaica

The main spices in jerk seasoning are allspice and very hot chili pepper. Other ingredients may include cinnamon, cloves, onion, nutmeg, thyme and garlic. This mixture is rubbed onto the meat, it is left to marinate, and then is usually barbecued.

Answer: Water tank for refilling steam engines

This meant the engine had to take in water from a tank or creek - a process no doubt involving a fair amount of jerking! The word came to mean something inferior, and rapidly became a term of abuse.

Answer: Steve Martin

The taglines for this film include: "From rags to riches... to rags." and "He was a poor black sharecropper's son who never dreamed he was adopted". It's all about a complete idiot who makes it rich through an accidental invention, and then ends up poor again - but happy.

Answer: Dancing

Back in the 1960s the "Jerk" was a dance similar to the "Monkey" - a bit like the "Twist" with more arm movements. In the 21st century, "Jerkin'" is a street dance style originating in Los Angeles, with rapid in and out leg movements, and done to rap music.

Answer: Wear it

A jerkin is a short close-fitting jacket, generally sleeveless and similar to a modern vest, but often made of leather. The garment goes back to the sixteenth century, and was originally worn by men over their doublets. There is no clear origin for the word, but it did enter the language at about the same time as "jerk" so they may be related.