yerk

The story

1. Old English · inherited fromġearcian“to prepare, make ready”
2. Middle English · inherited fromȝerken“to move suddenly, excite, bind tightly, attack”
3. English todayyerk

From Middle English ȝerken (“to move suddenly, excite, bind tightly, attack”), from Old English ġearcian (“to prepare, make ready”), compare ġearc (“active, quick”). Cognate with jerk; see yare for more cognates.

Words from the same roots