to be a nerk
- phrasal verb
- Offensive
- Stop being a nerk and listen to what I'm telling you.
Examples
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You don't have to be a nerk just because things aren't going your way.
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He can really be a nerk sometimes.
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If you be a nerk in front of your boss, you might miss out on a promotion.
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Don't be a nerk and ignore the advice!
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If you be a nerk during the meeting, no one will take you seriously.
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Stop being a nerk and focus on finishing your project on time.
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You don't need to be a nerk when faced with challenges; just try your best.
Synonyms
To act in a silly, embarrassing way to make people laugh
Act in a foolish way and ignore good advice
To act in a foolish way
To behave in a rude, stupid way
To behave in a silly or clumsy way
To do something silly without thinking
Act in a foolish, clumsy way
Behave in a silly, not very smart way
To behave foolishly or clumsily
Behave in a silly or foolish way
To behave in a rude or foolish way that annoys other people
Act in a silly and annoying way
Act in a foolish way because you trust people too easily
To behave in a silly, awkward way that looks foolish
To behave in a stupid and rude way
Antonyms
How Foolish
- Offensive
- Offensive
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase follows the transparent pattern 'be a + [noun]' where 'nerk' is defined as 'a mocking term for a silly person', so a learner who knows the constituents can directly infer 'to act foolishly' from the parts. This noun-based insult construction is a common, compositional pattern in English (and in many languages), making the overall meaning predictable for a B1 learner who knows the word 'nerk'.
Etymology
Be a nerk may come from a playful insult that mixes words like 'nerd' and 'jerk'. The image is of a person acting small and silly, so the phrase came to mean 'to act foolish or ineffective'.