We took a wrong turn and ended up in a jerk-water town where the main street shut down at six and the only store sold canned goods.

Commuters grumbled as the old jerk-water pulled into the station, its lightweight carriages creaking with every bump.

She grew up in a jerk water town where every store closed by seven.

Old-timers joked that, during droughts, crews would jerk water from the river to keep the steam engines running.

The vendor stacked the crate full of jerk-waters behind the counter, ready for the festival crowd.