jerque, v.
(dʒɜːk)
Also 9 jirk.
[Origin obscure: it has been conjecturally referred to It. cercare to search, which suits the form and sense; but historical evidence is wanting.
The agent noun jerquer, jerker, is evidenced back to 1706, and ought to be formed from the vb.; but the latter is not known so early, nor does it appear how either word was connected with Italy.]
trans. a. To search (a vessel) for unentered goods: see next. b. now, To examine or search a ship's papers in order to ascertain whether the captain's and the customs officer's lists of cargo agree, and to see that all the cargo has been duly ‘entered’ and described.
| 1819 Smugglers I. 125 M{supc}Groul and M{supc}Bain engaged to meet him..as soon as the Hazard was fairly in the harbour, and assist in jirking the vessel. 1843–63 W. Waterston Cycl. Commerce, Jerquing, the search of a ship performed by a custom-house officer (called a jerquer), to ascertain if there are any unentered goods concealed. 1867 Smyth Sailor's Word-bk., Jerquing a vessel, a search performed by the jerquer of the customs, after a vessel is unloaded, to see that no unentered goods have been concealed. |