Definition of "twerk"

"Not so the Freycineti, who looked me over critically, elevated his head crest, and giving his tail an odd little twerk, proceeded to hop deliberately up the limb like a sap-sucker..."

1898, William Brigham, “Director's Report”, in Occasional Papers of the Bernice Pauahi Museum, volume 1, number 1, page 42

"I hardly realize it yet that you are my really truly coz," and she gave the girl's long, brown braids a familiar twerk.

1920, Lilian C. McNamara Garis, The Girl Scouts at Sea Crest: Or, The Wig Wag Rescue‎, page 86

With a quick twerk at her shift, the girl lifted it to her rounded belly, and squatted nakedly on his lap.

1950, Robert S. Close, Love Me Sailor‎, page 86

It was the twerk that bounced around the world in less than a day. Sound bites from reporters said, “Miley Cyrus’s JAW-DROPPING TWERK-a-thon,” the “twerk-tacular,” “twerk-and-tongue work,” in the “twerk seen ’round the world!”

2016, Jacqueline Warwick, Allison Adrian, editors, Voicing Girlhood in Popular Music‎, Routledge

[…] in the language of the unsophisticated Port Melbourne suburbanite a bed was still something primarily intended for love-making – all the eyebrow-raising and moustache-twerking in Jo'burg couldn't alter that.

1985, Criena Rohan, Down by the Docks‎, page 151

He twerked an eyebrow at his wife.

2005, Florence Hall Abssi, The Call‎, page 613

Gaea then stood up over me and turned so that her butt was facing me. She then had the nerve to start twerking.

2005, Euftis Emery, Off the Chain‎, page 73

"Shortie really knows how to twerk it don't she?" Marcus boasted, while still recording.

2006, Lawrence Christopher, Ghettoway Weekend‎, page 96

Let me see what ya twerkin with / Look at those hips

2006, “SexyBack”, in FutureSex/LoveSounds, performed by Justin Timberlake ft. Timbaland

Twerking, as it is known in the hip-hop community, is a hard-hitting, rump-shaking dance move that celebrities including Beyonce and Miley Cyrus have been known to bust out, but it has also gotten a group of San Diego high school students suspended.

2013, Nichole Smith, “High School Students Suspended for Twerking”, in ABC News‎

"'...but when they load a pack onto you, what'll you do? A little twerk like you?'"

1930, Walter Dumaux Edmonds, The Big Barn, page 207

"But even then the poor twerk's whiskers and little eyes looked kind of wistful as if the clothes had got him and was taking him somewhere..."

1932, Forum and Century‎, volume 87

You don't need those twerks who walk in off the street.

2003, Bernard Kamoroff, Small Time Operator‎, page 19

Note of male on territory, a loud kurr or twerk.

1961, Roger Tory Peterson, A Field Guide to Western Birds‎, page 67