jerk

jerk, snap, twitch, yank mean to make a sudden sharp quick movement.

Jerk implies especially such a movement that is graceless, forceful, and abrupt

{

thought the train would never start, but at last the whistle blew and the carriages jerked forward— Carter

}

{

Jerked her head back as if she'd been struck in the face— Dorothy Baker

}

Snap may imply a quite quick action abruptly terminated (as a biting or trying to bite sharply or a seizing, clutching, snatching, locking, or breaking suddenly)

{

the hounds were fine beasts . . . lank and swift as they bent over the food to snap it into their jaws and swallow it quickly— Roberts

}

or a taking of possession with avidity

{

the syndicate snapping up land as soon as it is for sale

}

or sometimes specifically an uttering with the brisk sharpness of a bite

{

snapped at her because Theophilus did not eat enough— Deland

}

Twitch may imply quick, sometimes spasmodic, and often light action combining tugging and jerking

{

shrunken body continued to jerk and quiver, fingers twitching at his gray beard— Gerald Beaumont

}

{

one Pan ready to twitch the nymph's last garment off— Browning

}

{

put out his hand to twitch off a twig as he passed— Cather

}

Yank implies a quick and heavy tugging and pulling

{

watches her two-year-old stand passive while another child yanks his toy out of his hand— Mead

}

{

she yanked the corset strings viciously— Chidsey

}

{

by means of long blocks and tackle they set to yanking out logs— S. E. White

}

Analogous words: *pull, drag: toss, sling, fling, *throw: *wrench, wrest, wring