zerk, n.

zerk
http://www.oed.com/dictionary/zerk_n%3Ftab%3Dmeaning_and_use
First published 2018

# zerknoun

## Factsheet

### What does the noun zerk mean?

There are two meanings listed in OED's entry for the noun zerk. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.

### How is the noun zerk pronounced?

#### British English

/zəːk/
zurk

#### U.S. English

/zərk/
zurrk

### Where does the noun zerk come from?

Earliest known use

1920s

The earliest known use of the noun zerk is in the 1920s.

OED's earliest evidence for zerk is from 1926, in the Marion Daily Star (Marion, Ohio).

From a proper name.

Etymons: proper name Zerk.

### Nearby entries

1. zeppelin, v. 1910–
2. Zeppelined, adj. 1915–
3. Zeppelining, n. 1915–
4. Zeppelinist, n. 1912–
5. Zeppelinistic, adj. 1930–
6. Zeppelinite, n. 1909–
7. zeppole, n. 1835–
8. zepto-, comb. form
9. zeranol, n. 1971–
10. zerda, n. 1780–1860
11. zerk, n.1926–
12. zero, n. & adj. 1604–
13. zero, v. 1813–
14. zeroable, adj. 1956–
15. zero balance, adj. 1974–
16. zero-base, adj. 1962–
17. zero-based, adj. 1963–
18. zero beat, n. 1920–
19. zero-carbon, adj. 1990–
20. zero-coupon, adj. 1979–
21. zero creep, n. 1904–

## Etymology

### Summary

From a proper name.
Etymon: proper name Zerk.
< the name of Oscar V. Zerk (born Oscar Zerkowitz; 1878–1968), Austrian-born U.S. inventor.

## Meaning & use

1. I.
   Compounds.
   1. I.1.
      1926–
      attributive. Originally: designating a fitting designed by Oscar Zerk to allow lubrication to be applied directly to bearings or other moving parts of a machine, consisting of a small tapered nipple against which the nozzle of a grease gun is held by the pressure of the lubricant as it is administered. In later use: designating any fitting designed for this purpose.
      1. 1926

         > All Zerk fittings, wheels, etc. greased.

         Marion (Ohio) Star 21 August 15/1 (advertisement)
      2. 1953

         > Has swivel type tow bar, heavy duty industrial ball bearing 10x2.75 wheels with zerk grease fittings.

         Billboard 8 August 47/1 (advertisement)
      3. 1984

         > Rims have zerk grease fittings for smooth, easy rotation.

         Sears, Roebuck Catalogue Spring–Summer 746/2
      4. 2011

         > It is my understanding that the '07 models had ball joints without Zerk fittings to allow lubricating with a grease gun.

         Edmonton (Alberta) Journal (Nexis) 27 September d19
2. II.
   Simple uses.
   1. II.2.
      1933–
      A zerk fitting.
      1. 1933

         > New Zerks.

         Hutchinson (Kansas) News 27 June 9/1 (advertisement)
      2. 1970

         > Can I drill and tap these [joints] for zerks?

         Popular Mechanics June 64/2
      3. 2015

         > A fitting at the end of a..grease gun fits over the zerk to inject the lubricant.

         J. Erjavec & R. Thompson, Automotive Technology (ed. 6) viii. 203/1

## Pronunciation

### British English

/zəːk/
zurk

### U.S. English

/zərk/
zurrk

####

##### Consonants

- ppea
- ttea
- kkey
- bbuy
- ddye
- ɡguy
- tʃchore
- dʒjay
- ffore
- θthaw
- ssore
- ʃshore
- vvee
- ðthee
- zzee
- ʒbeige
- xloch
- hhay
- llay
- ɬrhingyll
- rray
- wway
- jyore
- mmay
- nnay
- ŋsing

Some consonants can take the function of the vowel in unstressed syllables. Where necessary, a syllabic marker diacritic is used, hence /ˈpɛtl/ but /ˈpɛtl̩i/.

##### Vowels

- iːfleece
- ihappy
- ɪkit
- ɛdress
- atrap, bath
- ɑːstart, palm, bath
- ɒlot
- ɔːthought, force
- ʌstrut
- ʊfoot
- uːgoose
- əletter
- əːnurse
- ɪənear
- ɛːsquare
- ʊəcure
- eɪface
- ʌɪpride
- aʊmouth
- əʊgoat
- ɔɪvoice
- ãgratin
- ɒ̃salon
- ᵻ(/ɪ/-/ə/)
- ᵿ(/ʊ/-/ə/)

##### Other symbols

- The symbol ˈ at the beginning of a syllable indicates that that syllable is pronounced with primary stress.
- The symbol ˌ at the beginning of a syllable indicates that that syllable is pronounced with secondary stress.
- Round brackets ( ) in a transcription indicate that the symbol within the brackets is optional.

View the pronunciation model here.

####

##### Consonants

- ppea
- ttea
- kkey
- bbuy
- ddye*
- ɡguy
- tʃchore
- dʒjay
- ffore
- θthaw
- ssore
- ʃshore
- vvee
- ðthee
- zzee
- ʒbeige
- xloch
- hhay
- llay
- rray
- wway
- jyore
- mmay
- nnay
- ŋsing

* /d/ also represents a 'tapped' /t/ as in

Some consonants can take the function of the vowel in unstressed syllables. Where necessary, a syllabic marker diacritic is used, hence /ˈpɛd(ə)l/ but /ˈpɛdl̩i/.

##### Vowels

- ifleece, happy
- ɪkit
- ɛdress
- ætrap, bath
- ɑlot, palm, cloth, thought
- ɑrstart
- ɔcloth, thought
- ɔrnorth, force
- ʊfoot
- ugoose
- əstrut, comma
- ərnurse, letter
- ɪ(ə)rnear
- ɛ(ə)rsquare
- ʊ(ə)rcure
- eɪface
- aɪpride
- aʊmouth
- oʊgoat
- ɔɪvoice
- ɑ̃gratin
- æ̃salon
- ᵻ(/ɪ/-/ə/)
- ᵿ(/ʊ/-/ə/)

##### Other symbols

- The symbol ˈ at the beginning of a syllable indicates that that syllable is pronounced with primary stress.
- The symbol ˌ at the beginning of a syllable indicates that that syllable is pronounced with secondary stress.
- Round brackets ( ) in a transcription indicate that the symbol within the brackets is optional.

View the pronunciation model here.

####

Simple text respell breaks words into syllables, separated by a hyphen. The syllable which carries the primary stress is written in capital letters. This key covers both British and U.S. English Simple Text Respell.

##### Consonants

b, d, f, h, k, l, m, n, p, r, s, t, v, w and z have their standard English values

- gguy
- jjay
- yyore
- chchore
- khloch
- shshore
- ththaw
- dhthee
- zhbeige

##### Vowels

- atrap
- ahpalm
- airsquare
- arstart
- arrcarry (British only)
- awthought
- ayface
- a(ng)gratin
- edress
- eefleece
- eerdeer
- errmerry
- ikit
- ighpride
- irrmirror
- olot (British only)
- ohgoat
- oogoose
- oorcure
- orforce
- orrsorry (British only)
- owmouth
- oyvoice
- o(ng)salon
- ustrut
- uhletter
- urnurse
- urrhurry
- uufoot

## Forms

### Variant forms

Also with capital initial.

zerk, n. was first published in June 2018.

zerk, n. was last modified in July 2023.