jerk up

[/dʒɜrk ʌp/]
verb (phrasal verb)
puxar bruscamente; levantar com um movimento súbito
1. to pull or lift something with a sudden, abrupt movement
He jerked up his head when he heard the noise.
Ele levantou a cabeça bruscamente quando ouviu o barulho.
2. to cause someone to move suddenly or to wake them up abruptly
The sudden stop jerked up all the passengers in the bus.
A parada repentina sacudiu todos os passageiros do ônibus.
3. to increase or raise something quickly or suddenly
The company jerked up prices without notice.
A empresa aumentou os preços repentinamente sem aviso.
In American English, 'jerk up' is commonly used both literally (physical movements) and figuratively (price increases, sudden improvements). In Brazilian Portuguese, 'puxar bruscamente' and 'levantar de repente' are the closest equivalents, with the former being more associated with sudden upward movements and the latter with abrupt awakenings or sudden reactions.
NYC Slang
yank up; jolt up
Synonyms / Sinônimos
pull upyank upjolt upsnap uplift abruptly
Antonyms / Antônimos
lower slowlygently lowerease down

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
puxar bruscamente; levantar de repente
most common and widely understood
Rio de Janeiro
dar um puxão; levantar de um jeito brusco
colloquial usage
São Paulo
puxar com força; aumentar subitamente
used in both literal and figurative contexts
Portugal
puxar abruptamente; levantar de forma abrupta
similar usage but less common in everyday speech

Related Words

jerkjerk aroundjerk offsudden movementabrupt

Related Idioms & Phrases

jerk up one's socks - melhorar o desempenho ou comportamento
jerk up prices - aumentar preços abruptamente
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