Cahot

/kəˈhɑːt/ noun

Definition

A jolting or bumpy movement, particularly of a vehicle traveling on rough ground.

Etymology

From French 'cahot,' which comes from the verb 'cahoter,' meaning to jolt or bounce. The term entered English in the 17th century to describe the unpleasant experience of traveling in carriages on bad roads.

Kelly Says

In the age of smooth modern highways, we've almost forgotten what 'cahot' meant to people—a regular carriage ride over 17th-century roads was such a violent, teeth-rattling experience that it needed its own word!

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