knee jerk

3 definitions found

knee jerk - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Knee jerk \Knee jerk\ (Physiol.)
     A jerk or forward kick of the lower part of the leg produced
     by a blow or sudden strain upon the patellar tendon of the
     knee, which causes a sudden contraction of the quadriceps
     muscle; the patellar reflex.
     [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

  Knee jerk \Knee jerk\, n.
     emotional and predictable; -- of certain people and their
     reactions to events.
     [PJC]

knee jerk - WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005) :

  knee jerk
      n 1: a reflex extension of the leg resulting from a sharp tap on
           the patellar tendon [syn: knee jerk, knee-jerk reflex,
           patellar reflex]