jolt

[ johlt ]
See synonyms for: joltjoltedjolting on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object)
  1. to jar, shake, or cause to move by or as if by a sudden rough thrust; shake up roughly: The bus jolted its passengers as it went down the rocky road.

  2. to knock sharply so as to dislodge: He jolted the nail free with a stone.

  1. to stun with a blow, especially in boxing.

  2. to shock emotionally or psychologically: His sudden death jolted us all.

  3. to bring to a desired state sharply or abruptly: to jolt a person into awareness.

  4. to make active or alert, as by using an abrupt, sharp, or rough manner: to jolt someone's memory.

  5. to interfere with or intrude upon, especially in a rough or crude manner; interrupt disturbingly.

verb (used without object)
  1. to move with a sharp jerk or a series of sharp jerks: The car jolted to a halt.

noun
  1. a jolting shock, movement, or blow: The automobile gave a sudden jolt.

  2. an emotional or psychological shock: The news of his arrest gave me quite a jolt.

  1. something that causes such a shock: The news was a jolt to me.

  2. a sudden, unexpected rejection or defeat: Their policy got a rude jolt from the widespread opposition.

  3. Slang. a prison sentence.

  4. Slang. an injection of a narcotic.

  5. a bracing dose of something: a jolt of whiskey; a jolt of fresh air.

Origin of jolt

1
1590–1600; blend of jot to jolt and joll to bump, both now dial.

Other words from jolt

  • jolter, noun
  • jolt·ing·ly, adverb
  • joltless, adjective
  • un·jolt·ed, adjective

Words Nearby jolt

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use jolt in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for jolt

jolt

/ (dʒəʊlt) /


verb(tr)
  1. to bump against with a jarring blow; jostle

  2. to move in a jolting manner

  1. to surprise or shock

noun
  1. a sudden jar or blow

  2. an emotional shock

Origin of jolt

1
C16: probably blend of dialect jot to jerk and dialect joll to bump

Derived forms of jolt

  • jolter, noun
  • joltingly, adverb
  • jolty, adjective

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012