jolt

/dʒoʊlt/

/dʒəʊlt/

Other forms: jolting; jolted; jolts

To jolt someone is to disturb them or make them jump. A jolt is sudden and jarring.

Jolting disturbs or surprises people. If you surprise someone and they jump up a little, you jolted them. Alarm clocks jolt people out of sleep. A sudden crack of thunder could provide a jolt. The unexpected barking of a dog could jolt you. Jolting is quick and not very pleasant. A jolt jars and stuns you. Some jolts are more serious: crashing your car jolts the people in the car violently.

Definitions of jolt

1. verb

   move or cause to move with a sudden jerky motion
   synonyms: jar

   type of:

   move

   move so as to change position, perform a nontranslational motion
2. verb

   disturb (someone's) composure
   “The audience was jolted by the play”

   type of:

   disturb, trouble, upset

   move deeply
3. noun

   a sudden jarring impact
   “the door closed with a jolt”

   synonyms: jar, jounce, shock

   type of:

   blow, bump

   an impact (as from a collision)
4. noun

   an abrupt spasmodic movement
   synonyms: jerk, jerking, saccade

   type of:

   motility, motion, move, movement

   a change of position that does not entail a change of location