- knee-jerk
- \\¦ ̷ ̷ (ˌ) ̷ ̷ \ adjective
Etymology: knee jerk, noun: readily predictable : automatic
knee-jerk reactions
also : reacting in a readily predictable wayknee-jerk liberals
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/nee"jerrk'/, adj.1. of or pertaining to a knee-jerk.2. Informal. reacting according to a certain habitual manner; unthinking: a knee-jerk liberal.[1895-1900]* * *
kneeˈ-jerk nounA reflex throwing forward of the leg when tapped below the knee-capadjective(of a reaction) automatic, unthinking, predictable• • •Main Entry: ↑knee* * *
knee-jerk UK US adjective only before nouna knee-jerk reaction is immediate and not carefully consideredThesaurus: not showing careful thought or good judgmentsynonym* * *
a sudden, involuntary kick produced by striking the tendon below the kneecap.knee-jerk «NEE JURK», adjective, noun.–adj. Informal.2. that reacts without much thought or in a predictable or automatic way: »“What you have here,” he said, “is the opposite of the knee-jerk liberal—the knee-jerk conservative” (Time).
–n.a person whose reactions are predictable or automatic, especially in politics.* * *
1.n. a sudden involuntary reflex kick caused by a blow on the tendon just below the knee2.adj. [attrib.] (of a response) automatic and unthinkinga knee-jerk reaction
■ (of a person) responding in this wayknee-jerk radicals
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/ˈniːˌʤɚk/ adj, always used before a noun [more \knee-jerk; most \knee-jerk]1 : occurring quickly and without thoughtIt was a knee-jerk [=automatic] reaction.
2 disapproving : often reacting quickly and without thoughtHe said that they were just a bunch of knee-jerk liberals.
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produced automatically, without any serious thought•
It was
a knee-jerk reactionon her part.
Useful english dictionary. 2012.