In British slang, "Jerry" (or "Jerries") primarily refers to a German person, especially a German soldier, a term popularized during World War I and World War II, likely derived from the common German name "Jeremiah" or linked to the German helmet's shape resembling a chamber pot (also called a "jerry"). It can also refer to a chamber pot itself, or less commonly, an old term for a watch.
But it also is said to be from the shape of the German helmet, which was thought to resemble a jerry, British slang for "chamber pot, toilet" (1850), this being probably an abbreviation of jeroboam, which is attested in this sense from 1827.
Within the ski industry a “Jerry,” otherwise known as a “Gaper,” a “Joey,” a “Gorb,” etc. is someone [a skier or snowboarder] doing a boneheaded move. My personal definition of a Jerry is: An individual who exhibits a true lack of understanding for their sport, or for life in general. Freeskier Magazine.
Jerry was a nickname given to Germans mostly during the Second World War by soldiers and civilians of the Allied nations, in particular by the British.
Jerry is a given name, usually used for males. It is of Old English origin, and sometimes can be spelled Gerry, Gerrie, Geri, Jery, Jere, Jerrie, or Jeri. It is a diminutive form (hypocorism) of George, Gerald, Gerard, Geraldine, Geronimo, Jared, Jeremy, Jeremiah, Jermaine, Jeronimo, or Jerome.
Jerry is a gender-neutral baby name of English, German, and Hebrew origin. A diminutive of names like Gerald or Gerard, Jerry means “mighty spearman” when looked at through its German roots.
The name Jerry, originating from English, has a diminutive form of names beginning with Jer or Ger. Its roots can be traced back to the Middle Ages where it functioned as a nickname for individuals named Jeremy or Gerald. In the medieval times, such nicknames were commonly used to denote familiarity or affection.
British troops tended to call German soldiers Fritz or Fritzie (a German pet form of Friedrich) or Jerry (short for German, but also modelled on the English name).
It's called a "jerry can" because "Jerry" was Allied slang for Germans during World War II, and this highly effective fuel container was a German invention known as the Wehrmacht-Einheitskanister (Wehrmacht standard container). Allied forces were so impressed by its robust, ribbed design (which allowed for expansion and prevented leaks) that they reverse-engineered and adopted it, calling it the "jerry can".
The combatants can include whoever you'd like named Jerry, but some Jerrys I'll be including are Seinfeld*, Springer, Stiller, Lewis, Brown, Garcia, Lee Lewis, Lawler, Cantrell, Rice and Brudos.
Jerry Origin and Meaning
The name Jerry is a girl's name meaning "ruler with the spear or sacred name". The J spelling of this nickname name has always skewed more masculine, perhaps because it relates directly to Jerome but not to Geraldine.
"The slang word in England for a Potty ... was commonly called a Jerry" And why? Because it was short for "Jerry helmet" - from the shape; and also, I would guess, from the satisfaction of notionally urinating into a Stahlhelm which some comically stupid Waffen-SS private might then put on his head.
“Tom and Jerry” was a British slang term from the 1800's, meaning “to fight and cause trouble”.
A clueless person, often to the detriment of those around them. They can be any level of skill. A Jerry is going to slide their skis over yours in the lift line.
A 'bob' was the slang word for a Shilling, which was worth 12 old pennies. Following decimilisation in 1971, a Shilling was worth 5 new pence. The old 'ten bob note' (10 shillings) was the equivalent of 5 Florins, or 4 Half Crowns, or 2 Crowns.
a silly person: He looked a right charlie in that hat! SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases. Stupid and silly people. airhead.
It was called “jerry” from the American US Forces slang term “Jerry” for Germans. The jerry cans were born. The new design retained the German handles, size, and shape. Very quickly, the American jerry cans became widely used by the US Army and Marine Corps units and served a crucial role in the outcome of WWII.
The maximum you can store at your home is 30 litres. The jerry can is a 20-litre metal can. It is illegal to store petrol in one of these because you are not allowed to carry 20 litres in just one container.
In English, Jerry was a form of derogatory shorthand for German. It has a little bit of a propaganda flair as well, a short, pithy, yet derogatory nickname for a group that contains the primary enemy combatant.
The term Luftwaffe that is used for both the historic and the current German air force is the German-language generic designation of any air force.
Etymology. The word ultimately derives from the Persian word viletī, (from a regional Hindustani language with the use of b replacing v) meaning 'foreign', which more specifically came to mean 'European', and 'British; English' during the time of the British Raj.
German soldiers would allegedly call out to "Tommy" across no man's land if they wished to speak to a British soldier. French and Commonwealth troops would also call British soldiers "Tommies".
Jury comes from the Old French word for "oath," pointing to the promise to deliver the truth that a jury swears to. Definitions of jury. noun. a body of citizens sworn to give a true verdict according to the evidence presented in a court of law.
The "Hun speech" had a great impact during the First World War, when the British took up the "Hun"-metaphor and used it as a synonym for the Germans and their behaviour, which was described as barbaric. For a long time, the speech was considered to be the source of the epithet (ethnophaulism) "the Huns" for Germans.
Definitions of jerry-rigged. adjective. cheap and poorly built. synonyms: cheapjack, shoddy, tawdry.