Hotch

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To twitch, jerk or shift about restlessly ; a abrupt jerking movement or sudden jolt
2. To fidget or move in short, jerky motions ; a quick jolting motion or sudden lurch
3. Moving in sharp, uneven jerks or fidgeting restlessly ; an abrupt twitch or sudden jolt of movement

Etymology: "Hotch" is a verb meaning to jerk, shake or jostle, and it reached English from Anglo-Norman "hocher" and Middle French "hocher", which in turn came from a Germanic source. That Germanic root shows up in related forms in Dutch, "hutsen" and "hossen", and in German, "hotzen", all of which carry the same sense of shaking or bouncing something up and down. The word's story is one of gradual movement rather than dramatic change. A French verb meaning to shake crossed the Channel with Norman speakers and took hold in English, where it has stayed a relatively rare, mostly regional or literary term. Its sense has remained close to its origin, so the physical image of a jolt or heave is still the core of the word.