From Middle English ȝarken, ȝerken, from Old English ġearcian ("to prepare, make ready, procure, furnish, supply"), from Proto-Germanic *garwakōną ("to prepare"), from Proto-Indo-European *gʰrebʰ- ("to grab, take, rake"), equivalent to yare + -k. Related to Old English ġearc ("ready, active, quick"), ġearu. More at yare.
Origin uncertain, probably originally imitative; compare jerk etc.
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