n. 1. A sudden shock or jerk; a jolting motion, as in a carriage moving over rough ground. [ 1913 Webster ]

The first jolt had like to have shaken me out. Swift. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A physical or psychological shock; see jolt v. t. senses 2 and 3; as, the stock market plunge was a big jolt to his sense of affluence; he touched the casing of the ungrounded motor and got a jolt from a short inside. [ PJC ]

3. Something which causes a jolt{ 2 }; as, the bad news was a jolt. [ PJC ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Jolted; p. pr. & vb. n. Jolting. ] [ Prob. fr. jole, joll, jowl, and orig. meaning, to knock on the head. See Jowl. ] To shake with short, abrupt risings and fallings, as a carriage moving on rough ground; as, the coach jolts. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. 1. To cause to move with a sudden motion, especially an up and down motion, as in a carriage going over rough ground, or on a high-trotting horse; as, the horse jolts the rider; fast driving jolts the carriage and the passengers. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To stun or shock a person physically, as with a blow or electrical shock; as, the earthquake jolted him out of bed. [ PJC ]

3. To stun or shock or change the mental state of (a person) suddenly, as if with a blow; as, the sight of the house on fire jolted him into action; his mother's early death jolted his idyllic happiness. [ PJC ]

n. One who, or that which, jolts.

{ } n. [ See Jolt, Jowl. ] A dunce; a blockhead. Sir T. North. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a jolting manner. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. That jolts; as, a jolty coach. [ Colloq. ] [ 1913 Webster ]