Pronunciations (4)
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/bɒlt/
Pronunciation notes
- UK
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/bəʊlt/
Pronunciation notes
- UK
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[bɔʊɫt]
Pronunciation notes
- UK
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/boʊlt/
Pronunciation notes
- US
Noun
A (usually) metal fastener consisting of a cylindrical body that is threaded, with a larger head on one end. It can be inserted into an unthreaded hole up to the head, with a nut then threaded on the other end; a heavy machine screw.
Latch-related senses A sliding pin or bar in a lock or latch mechanism.
- Examples
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There was the noise of a bolt shot back, and the door opened a few inches, enough to show a long snout and a pair of sleepy blinking eyes.
Latch-related senses A bar of wood or metal dropped in horizontal hooks on a door and adjoining wall or between the two sides of a double door, to prevent the door(s) from being forced open.
Latch-related senses A sliding mechanism to chamber and unchamber a cartridge in a firearm.
An iron to fasten the legs of a prisoner; a shackle; a fetter.
- Examples
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He shall to prison, and there die in boults.
Away with him to prison! Lay bolts enough upon him:
A stalk or scape (of garlic, onion, etc).
- Examples
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More examples (2)
All kinds of vegetables may be used as a topping, but the best are strongly flavoured ones without too much moisture, such as celery, garlic bolts, chives, scallions, or various beans (long beans, green beans etc.) ...
She ordered Cat's Ear Noodles heaped with garlic bolts and tomatoes, the broth thick with cumin, laced with black vinegar. The girl caught her accent, the sibilant sing-song of the south, and smiled, tilting her head questioningly.
A large roll of fabric or similar material, as a bolt of cloth.
- Examples
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Mr. Cole, Basket-maker...has lost near 300 boults of rods
More examples (1)
Not only were the old sails being mended, but new sails were coming on board, and bolts of canvas, and coils of rigging; in short, everything betokened that the ship's preparations were hurrying to a close.
A large roll of fabric or similar material, as a bolt of cloth. The standard linear measurement of canvas for use at sea: 39 yards.
Senses involving sudden movement A small personal-armour-piercing missile for short-range use, or (in common usage though deprecated by experts) a short arrow, intended to be shot from a crossbow or a catapult.
Senses involving sudden movement A lightning spark, i.e., a lightning bolt. (See thunderbolt.)
- Synonyms
- Examples
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He had seen lightning bolts yesterday night.
Senses involving sudden movement A sudden event, action or emotion.
- Examples
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The problem's solution struck him like a bolt from the blue.
More examples (1)
With a bolt of fright he remembered that there was no bathroom in the Hobhouse Room. He leapt along the corridor in a panic, stopping by the long-case clock at the end where he flattened himself against the wall.
Senses involving sudden movement A sudden spring or start; a sudden leap aside.
- Examples
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The horse made a bolt.
Senses involving sudden movement A sudden flight, as to escape creditors.
- Examples
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This gentleman was so hopelessly involved that he contemplated a bolt to America — or anywhere.
Senses involving sudden movement A refusal to support a nomination made by the party with which one has been connected; a breaking away from one's party.
Usage- US usage
Senses involving sudden movement A burst of speed or efficiency.
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More examples (1)
In the event they lacked a proper midfield bolt, with Toni Kroos and Sami Khedira huffing around in pursuit of the whizzing green machine. The centre-backs looked flustered, left to deal with three on two as Mexico broke. Löw’s 4-2-3-1 seemed antiquated and creaky, with the old World Cup shark Thomas Müller flat-footed in a wide position.
Verb
To connect or assemble pieces using a bolt.
Usage- Transitive
- Examples
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Bolt the vice to the bench.
To affix in a crude or unnatural manner.
Usage- Figurative
- Transitive
- Examples
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More examples (1)
Most languages are *not* based on C++. C++ is a complicated mess. It's C with object oriented features bolted on as an afterthought and no-one in their right mind would want to base another language on it.
Going through the motions with an empty smile bolted on my face
To secure a bolt or bolts; to lock using a bolt.
Usage- Transitive
- Examples
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Bolt the door.
If that double-bolted land, Japan, is ever to become hospitable, it is the whale-ship alone to whom the credit will be due; for already she is on the threshold.
More examples (1)
‘Seize me this malapert caitiff! Bolt and shackle him!’
To flee, to depart, to accelerate away suddenly.
Usage- Intransitive
- Examples
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Seeing the snake, the horse bolted.
The actor forgot his line and bolted from the stage.
More examples (2)
This Pucke ſeems but a dreaming dolt, / Still vvalking like a ragged Colt, / And oft out of a buſh doth bolt, / Of purpoſe to deceiue vs, / And leading vs makes vs to ſtray.
Bradly was embarrassed, detected in the character of a snooper. But he had to come on, short of bolting back in his tracks.
To escape.
Usage- Intransitive
To cause to start or spring forth; to dislodge (an animal being hunted).
Usage- Transitive
- Examples
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to bolt a rabbit
To strike or fall suddenly like a bolt.
- Examples
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His cloudleſs thunder bolted on thir heads.
To produce flower stalks and flowers or seeds quickly or prematurely; to form a bolt (stalk or scape); to go to seed.
Usage- Intransitive
- of lettuce
- Examples
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Lettuce and spinach will bolt as the weather warms up.
More examples (3)
When an onion bolts and forms a flower stalk, the stem grows right up through the neck, forming a tough, fibrous tube that pierces the center of the bulb. The plant channels all its energy into this flower stalk, so no more fleshy […]
To be honest, this hasn't been my Garden of Eden year. […] The lettuce turned bitter and bolted. The Green Comet broccoli was good, but my coveted Romanescos never headed up.
Hardneck garlic bolts, which means it produces a single flower stalk, also known as a scape. It is considered to be far tastier and “gourmet.” You can find hardneck garlic mainly at farmers' markets […]
To swallow food without chewing it.
Usage- Transitive
- Examples
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More examples (2)
Though amid all the smoking horror and diabolism of a sea-fight, sharks will be seen longingly gazing up to the ship’s decks, like hungry dogs round a table where red meat is being carved, ready to bolt down every killed man that is tossed to them;
Some hawks and owls bolt their prey whole, and after an interval of from twelve to twenty hours, disgorge pellets, which, as I know from experiments made in the Zoological Gardens, include seeds capable of germination.
‘Here’s me been rushed into this job before I’ve had time to bolt a hasty dinner.’
To drink one's drink very quickly; to down a drink.
Usage- Transitive
- Examples
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Come on, everyone, bolt your drinks; I want to go to the next pub!
To refuse to support a nomination made by a party or caucus with which one has been connected; to break away from a party.
Usage- US usage
- Examples
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More examples (1)
John Silber charged that people who bolted the Democratic Party in this election are "Kamakaze ^([sic]) liberals", beneath contempt and clearly too stupid to deserve to vote.
To utter precipitately; to blurt or throw out.
- Examples
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I hate when vice can bolt her arguments.
Adverb
Suddenly; straight; unbendingly.
Usage- not-comparable
- Examples
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The soldiers stood bolt upright for inspection.
[He] came bolt up against the heavy dragoon.
Verb
To sift, especially through a cloth.
To sift the bran and germ from wheat flour.
- Examples
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Graham flour is unbolted flour; in contrast, some other flours have been bolted.
More examples (1)
Coming to a farmer's house, he takes a liking to a "good handsome maid," that was there, and in the night does her work for her, at breaking hemp and flax, bolting meal, etc.
To separate, assort, refine, or purify by other means.
- Examples
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ill schooled in bolted language
Time and Nature will Bolt out the Truth of Things.
To discuss or argue privately, and for practice, as cases at law.
- Examples
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[…]the old habits of mooting or bolting caſes (i.e. of public disputations), might make the ſtudent more ſubtle and acute
Noun
A sieve, especially a long fine sieve used in milling for bolting flour and meal; a bolter.
- Examples
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More examples (3)
The combination, in a flour bolt, of a reel head having a throat near its outer edge for the passage of the tailings and a series of revolving adjustable beaters, substantially as set forth.
We have a number of these reels in different mills that are bolting the break flour direct from the scalping reels and scalped through No. 8 cloth. […] Now, gentlemen, they require a much less number to do a given amount of work than any other known machine or bolt, and require less space and power.
As the material is agitated by the motion of the bolt, the flour falls through, while the smaller particles of bran are taken up by the current of air and carried off.
Noun
a discharge of lightning accompanied by thunder
- Synonyms
- Broader terms
a sliding bar in a breech-loading firearm that ejects an empty cartridge and replaces it and closes the breech
- Broader terms
the part of a lock that is engaged or withdrawn with a key
- Synonyms
- Broader terms
the act of moving with great haste
- Synonyms
- Examples
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he made a dash for the door
a roll of cloth or wallpaper of a definite length
- Broader terms
a screw that screws into a nut to form a fastener
- Broader terms
a sudden abandonment (as from a political party)
- Broader terms
Adverb
in a rigid manner
- Examples
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the body was rigidly erect
he sat bolt upright
directly
- Examples
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he ran bang into the pole
ran slap into her
Verb
move or jump suddenly
- Broader terms
- Examples
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She bolted from her seat
secure or lock with a bolt
- Antonyms
- Broader terms
- Examples
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bolt the door
swallow hastily
run away; usually includes taking something or somebody along
- Broader terms
- Examples
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The thief made off with our silver
the accountant absconded with the cash from the safe
leave suddenly and as if in a hurry
- Synonyms
- Examples
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The listeners bolted when he discussed his strange ideas
When she started to tell silly stories, I ran out
eat hastily without proper chewing
- Synonyms
- Broader terms
- Examples
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Don't bolt your food!
make or roll into bolts
- Examples
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bolt fabric