A sudden, forceful push or movement, or to push something suddenly and roughly.
Origin uncertain, possibly from Scottish 'jolt' or related to 'jostle.' First appears in English texts around 1600. May derive from an imitative or dialectal source, with the meaning tied to sudden physical movement.
Adrenaline creates that instant 'jolt' feeling in your body—a sudden surge of energy from your nervous system. This is why scary movies, roller coasters, and unexpected surprises all feel like they 'jolt' you awake, even if you were paying attention—your brain is literally flooded with stress hormones in milliseconds!
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