different between jolt vs thump

English

Etymology

Perhaps from Middle English jollen (“to stagger, knock, batter”), itself perhaps a variant of Middle English chollen (“to strike, juggle, do tricks”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /d??lt/, IPA^(key): /d???lt/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /d?o?lt/
• Rhymes: -?lt, -??lt

Verb

jolt (third-person singular simple present jolts, present participle jolting, simple past and past participle jolted)

1. (transitive) To push or shake abruptly and roughly.

   The bus jolted its passengers at every turn.

2. (transitive) To knock sharply
3. (transitive) To shock (someone) into taking action or being alert

   I jolted her out of complacency.

4. (transitive) To shock emotionally.

   Her untimely death jolted us all.

5. (intransitive) To shake; to move with a series of jerks.

   The car jolted along the stony path.

Derived terms

• jolter
• jolthead
• jolting
• joltproof
• jolty

Translations

Noun

jolt (plural jolts)

1. An act of jolting.
2. A surprise or shock.
3. (slang) A long prison sentence.
4. (slang) A narcotic injection.

Coordinate terms

• (prison sentence): bit

Translations

References

English

Etymology

Probably imitative.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /??mp/
• Rhymes: -?mp

Noun

thump (plural thumps)

1. A blow that produces a muffled sound.
   • December 24, 1709, Isaac Bickerstaff (pseudonym for Richard Steele or (in some later numbers of the journal) Joseph Addison), The Tatler No. 111

     The watchman gave so very great a thump at my door last night, that I awakened at the knock.

2. The sound of such a blow; a thud.
3. (dated, colloquial, euphemistic) Used to replace the vulgar or blasphemous element in "what the hell" and similar phrases.

   Where the thump have you been?!

Translations

Verb

thump (third-person singular simple present thumps, present participle thumping, simple past and past participle thumped)

1. (transitive) To hit (someone or something) as if to make a thump.
2. (transitive) To cause to make a thumping sound.

   The cat thumped its tail in irritation.

3. (intransitive) To thud or pound.
4. (intransitive) To throb with a muffled rhythmic sound.

Translations