A jerk from America? (4)

I believe the answer is:

yank

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'a jerk' is the definition.
(I know that jerk can be written as yank)

I don't understand the rest of the clue.

(Other definitions for yank that I've seen before include "Big jerk!" , "American (colloq.)" , "Term for an American" , "one across pond" , "Sudden hard pull" .)

I've seen this clue in The Globe and Mail.

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