jerry

name

1. A diminutive of the male given names Gerald, Gerard, Jeremy, Jeremiah, Jared, Jerome, Jermaine, Jerrold, or similar male given names.

   “We stated in our last that the award in this class was sent to Fowler & Vannatta’s Jerry, but this was a mistake which arose from the fact that there were two Jerrys in this class and both of them grade Herefords, one from Benton County, Ind., and one shown by Wallace Libby & Co., Ottawa, Ill. When the awards were made it was announced that Mr. Vannatta’s Jerry was the winner, and that breeder left for his home congratulating himself on the fact of having a winner on the block; […]”

   “..."I, incidentally, am Jeremy Wilson, and anyone who abbreviates that to 'Jerry' does so at unspeakable peril." "Oh really?" Kay asked. "Why?" "Well, just a wartime hangover. We used to call the Germans 'Jerries'." "I don't know much about the German war."”

   “There are many Nancies and Jerries in the world. They get told apart by a further name, such as Nancy Lovelace, or Jerry Turing.”

2. A diminutive of the female given names Geraldine or Jerilyn.
3. An unincorporated community in Asotin County, Washington, United States; named for early rancher Jerry McGuire.
4. (UK, US, dated, ethnic, slur)A personification of the German people.

   “Phipps went on: “One of our chaps, out on a reccy over the Bulgarian front, thought he saw something in the snow. Something fishy. He dropped down to have a dekko and nearly had kittens. What d'you think? Jerry's got a mass of stuff there—tanks, guns, lorries, every sort of heavy armament. All camouflaged. White.””

   “[…] chucking your towel on the sunbed and making sure Jerry doesn't get there first.”

noun

1. (alt-of)Alternative letter-case form of jerry (“a chamber pot”).
2. (British, US, dated, ethnic, slur)A German, particularly a male German.

   “But Robert had been cheeriness itself, had told them to buck up and think of England, reminding them that moaning wasn’t going to beat the Jerries.”

3. (Ireland, UK, slang)A chamber pot.

   “We used chamber-pots a good deal – ‘jerries’ – cause of much hilarity doe to the hostilities.”

4. (alt-of, ethnic, slur)Alternative letter-case form of Jerry (“a German”).
5. (UK, obsolete)A watch (timepiece).

   “Watch stealing, or jerry getting, as the thieving fraternity designate the operation, is carried on to a considerable extent all the year round.”

   “R. Austin Freeman, A Savant's Vendetta 'Do you know a jerry when you sees one — a red 'un, mind you?' […] The fellow looked furtively at the door and then, diving into an inner pocket, pulled out a handsome gold watch with a massive chain attached, exhibited it for a moment and then dropped it back.”

adj

1. (dated, not-comparable)Jerry-built.

   “If a man builds a jerry-house, he has a jerry conscience; and there are a lot of consciences of that description going about.”