bolt
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: ipa: /bɒlt/
ipa: /bəʊlt/
ipa: [bɔʊɫt]
ipa: /boʊlt/
rhymes: -əʊlt
rhymes: -ɒlt
Forms: form: bolts
Etymology: From Middle English bolt, from Old English bolt, from Proto-West Germanic *bolt, from Proto-Germanic *bultaz, perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *bʰeld- (“to knock, strike”). Compare Lithuanian beldu (“I knock”), baldas (“pole for striking”). Akin to Dutch and West Frisian bout, German Bolz or Bolzen, Danish bolt, Swedish bult, Icelandic bolti.
Senses: glosses: 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.
examples: text: 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.
ref: 1908 October, Kenneth Grahame, “Mr. Badger”, in The Wind in the Willows, New York, N.Y.: Charles Scribner’s Sons, →OCLC, page 69:
glosses: A sliding pin or bar in a lock or latch mechanism.
glosses: 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.
topics: engineering
government
mechanical
mechanical-engineering
military
natural-sciences
physical-sciences
politics
war
glosses: A sliding mechanism to chamber and unchamber a cartridge in a firearm.
glosses: 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.
examples: text: He had seen lightning bolts yesterday night.
glosses: A lightning spark, i.e., a lightning bolt.
examples: text: The problem's solution struck him like a bolt from the blue.
text: 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.
ref: 1994, Stephen Fry, chapter 2, in The Hippopotamus:
glosses: A sudden event, action or emotion.
examples: text: Mr. Cole, Basket-maker...has lost near 300 boults of rods
ref: 1774 March 24, Stamford Mercury:
text: 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.
ref: 1851 November 14, Herman Melville, “All Astir”, in Moby-Dick; or, The Whale, 1st American edition, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers; London: Richard Bentley, →OCLC, page 106:
glosses: A large roll of fabric or similar material, as a bolt of cloth.
topics: nautical
transport
glosses: 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.
examples: text: The horse made a bolt.
glosses: A sudden spring or start; a sudden leap aside.
examples: text: This gentleman was so hopelessly involved that he contemplated a bolt to America — or anywhere.
ref: 1887, Charles Reade, Compton Reade, Charles Reade, Dramatist, Novelist, Journalist: A Memoir:
glosses: A sudden flight, as to escape creditors.
topics: government
politics
glosses: A refusal to support a nomination made by the party with which one has been connected; a breaking away from one's party.
examples: text: He shall to prison, and there die in boults.
ref: 1594, Christopher Marlow[e], The Troublesome Raigne and Lamentable Death of Edward the Second, King of England: […], London: […] [Eliot’s Court Press] for Henry Bell, […], published 1622, →OCLC, (please specify the page):
text: Away with him to prison! Lay bolts enough upon him:
ref: c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Measure for Measure”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene i]:
glosses: An iron to fasten the legs of a prisoner; a shackle; a fetter.
examples: text: 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.
ref: 2018 June 17, Barney Ronay, “Mexico’s Hirving Lozano stuns world champions Germany for brilliant win”, in Katharine Viner, editor, The Guardian, London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 05 Aug 2019:
glosses: A burst of speed or efficiency.
examples: text: 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.) ...
ref: 2013, Wong Yoon Wah, Durians Are Not the Only Fruit: Notes from the Tropics, Epigram Books, →ISBN:
text: 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.
ref: 2017, Adam Brookes, The Spy's Daughter, Redhook, →ISBN:
glosses: A stalk or scape (of garlic, onion, etc).
Derived terms: adderbolt
Allen bolt
banjo bolt
birdbolt
bolt action
bolt-action
bolt bucket
bolt circle
bolt cropper
bolt cutter
boltcutter
boltface
bolt from the blue
bolthead
bolt-hole
bolthole
boltless
boltlike
boltmaker
boltmaking
bolt out of the blue
bolt rope
bolt-rope
boltrope
bolt thrower
captive bolt pistol
carriage bolt
chainbolt
climbing bolt
coach bolt
deadbolt
devil bolt
dogbolt
drag bolt
drawbolt
driftbolt
drivebolt
drop bolt
elf bolt
elf-bolt
eye bolt
eyebolt
firebolt
fishbolt
fox bolt
garnish bolt
headbolt
head-bolt
head bolt
head-bolt heater
head bolt heater
hex head bolt
jag bolt
key bolt
kingbolt
latchbolt
lightning bolt
lockbolt
lug bolt
molly bolt
nut behind the bolt
nuts and bolts
rambolt
ringbolt
roller bolt
roofbolt
screw bolt
setbolt
sex bolt
shackle bolt
shoe bolt
shoot one's bolt
shoulder bolt
sluice one's bolt
socket bolt
soldering bolt
staybolt
stay bolt
stud bolt
superbolt
tap bolt
throat-bolt
thunderbolt
toggle bolt
U-bolt
unbolt
wrain-bolt
wringbolt
Related terms: arrow
dart
nut
screw