What does the saying knee-jerk mean?
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readily predictable
Definition of knee-jerk (Entry 1 of 2) : readily predictable : automatic knee-jerk reactions also, disapproving : reacting in a readily predictable way The man was such a bleeding-heart knee-jerk liberal that you could predict the rest of the column after reading the first sentence. — Andrew M. Greeley.
What are other ways to say jerk?
- buck,
- hitch,
- hoick,
- jolt,
- twitch,
- yank.
Is knee-jerk reaction slang?
If you call someone’s response to a question or situation a knee-jerk reaction, you mean that they react in a very predictable way, without thinking.
Where did the term knee-jerk come from?
The expression ‘knee jerk reaction’ comes from medicine, where the jerking motion the knee makes when tapped is called the patellar reflex. First seen in print in 1877, it became common in the early 20th century.
What is a polite word for jerk?
A foolish or annoying person. fool. idiot. dolt. dunce.
How did knee-jerk reaction get its name?
The term knee-jerk was recorded by Sir Michael Foster in his Textbook of physiology in 1877: “Striking the tendon below the patella gives rise to a sudden extension of the leg, known as the knee-jerk.”
How do you do a knee-jerk reflex?
Tap the spot right below your kneecap with the side of your hand. Feel your knee to find a slight gap between the bottom of your kneecap and the top of your shin bone. Gently tap that space with the side of your hand, or have a friend do it for you. If you have a medical reflex hammer, that’s even better!
What are antonyms for jerk?
Antonyms
- motionlessness.
- nonmoving.
- immobility.
- immotility.
What does it mean to get top from a girl?
A top is someone who prefers to be the person in control during sex. Tops generally prefer to take a more active role in sex by acting as the person who penetrates, gives oral sex, or does other sexual acts. For people with penises, this can mean wanting to be the person penetrating rather than receiving.