bolt

bolt¹ (b

lt)

1. A bar made of wood or metal that slides into a socket and is used to fasten doors and gates.

2. A metal bar or rod in the mechanism of a lock that is thrown or withdrawn by turning the key.

3. A fastener consisting of a threaded pin or rod with a head at one end, designed to be inserted through holes in assembled parts and secured by a mated nut that is tightened by applying torque.

a. A sliding metal bar that positions the cartridge in breechloading rifles, closes the breech, and ejects the spent cartridge.

b. A similar device in any breech mechanism.

5. A short, heavy arrow with a thick head, used especially with a crossbow.

6. A flash of lightning; a thunderbolt.

7. A sudden or unexpected event: The announcement was a veritable bolt.

8. A sudden movement toward or away.

9. A large roll of cloth of a definite length, especially as it comes from the loom.

v. bolt·ed, bolt·ing, bolts

v.tr.

1. To secure or lock with or as if with a bolt.

2. To arrange or roll (lengths of cloth, for example) on or in a bolt.

3. To eat (food) hurriedly and with little chewing; gulp.

4. To desert or withdraw support from (a political party).

5. To utter impulsively; blurt.

6. Archaic To shoot or discharge (a missile, such as an arrow).

v.intr.

1. To move or spring suddenly.

2. To start suddenly and run away: The horse bolted at the sound of the shot. The frightened child bolted from the room.

3. To break away from an affiliation, as from a political party.

4. Botany To flower or produce seeds prematurely or develop a flowering stem from a rosette.

Idioms:

bolt from the blue

A sudden, shocking surprise or turn of events.

bolt upright

In a rigidly vertical position: sat bolt upright.

[Middle English, from Old English, heavy arrow.]

bolt ¹

Noun

1. a bar that can be slid into a socket to lock a door, gate, etc.

2. a metal rod or pin that has a head and a screw thread to take a nut

3. a flash (of lightning)

4. a sudden movement, esp. in order to escape

5. an arrow, esp. for a crossbow

6. a bolt from the blue a sudden, unexpected, and usually unwelcome event

7. shoot one's bolt to exhaust one's efforts

Verb

1. to run away suddenly

2. to secure or lock with or as if with a bolt

3. to attach firmly one thing to another by means of a nut and bolt

4. to eat hurriedly: bolting your food may lead to indigestion

5. (of a horse) to run away without control

6. (of vegetables) to produce flowers and seeds too soon

Adverb

bolt upright stiff and rigid [Old English: arrow]

bolt ² or boult

Verb

1. to pass (flour, a powder, etc.) through a sieve

2. to examine and separate [Old French bulter]

Bolt a bundle; a compact packet; a roll of woven fabric.

Examples: bolt of canvas [40 yards], 1638; of cloth [40 yards]; of fabric; of glass [molten cylindrical jet]; of osiers [willow twigs], 1725; of satin, 1592; of silk [40 yards]; of straw; of worsted, 1407.

ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms

Noun	1.	bolt - a discharge of lightning accompanied by thunder bolt of lightning, thunderbolt lightning - abrupt electric discharge from cloud to cloud or from cloud to earth accompanied by the emission of light
	2.	bolt - a sliding bar in a breech-loading firearm that ejects an empty cartridge and replaces it and closes the breech bar - a rigid piece of metal or wood; usually used as a fastening or obstruction or weapon; "there were bars in the windows to prevent escape" rifle - a shoulder firearm with a long barrel and a rifled bore; "he lifted the rifle to his shoulder and fired"
	3.	bolt - the part of a lock that is engaged or withdrawn with a key deadbolt bar - a rigid piece of metal or wood; usually used as a fastening or obstruction or weapon; "there were bars in the windows to prevent escape" lock - a fastener fitted to a door or drawer to keep it firmly closed safety bolt, safety lock - a bolt that cannot be moved from outside the door or gate
	4.	bolt - the act of moving with great haste; "he made a dash for the door" dash rush, rushing, haste, hurry - the act of moving hurriedly and in a careless manner; "in his haste to leave he forgot his book"
	5.	bolt - a roll of cloth or wallpaper of a definite length roll - anything rolled up in cylindrical form
	6.	bolt - a screw that screws into a nut to form a fastener carriage bolt - a roundheaded bolt for timber; threaded along part of the shank; inserted into holes already drilled clinch - the flattened part of a nail or bolt or rivet expansion bolt - a bolt that has an attachment that expands as the bolt is driven into a surface head - a projection out from one end; "the head of the nail", "a pinhead is the head of a pin" kingbolt, swivel pin, kingpin - bolt that provides a steering joint in a motor vehicle machine bolt - a bolt with a square or hexagonal head on one end and a threaded shaft on the other end; tightened with a wrench; used to connect metal parts nut and bolt - a fastener made by screwing a nut onto a threaded bolt screw - a fastener with a tapered threaded shank and a slotted head shank - cylinder forming the part of a bolt between the thread and the head stove bolt - a small machine bolt
	7.	bolt - a sudden abandonment (as from a political party) abandonment, desertion, forsaking - the act of giving something up political science, politics, government - the study of government of states and other political units
Verb	1.	bolt - move or jump suddenly; "She bolted from her seat" move - move so as to change position, perform a nontranslational motion; "He moved his hand slightly to the right"
	2.	bolt - secure or lock with a bolt; "bolt the door" lock - fasten with a lock; "lock the bike to the fence" unbolt - undo the bolt of; "unbolt the door"
	3.	bolt - swallow hastily swallow, get down - pass through the esophagus as part of eating or drinking; "Swallow the raw fish--it won't kill you!"
	4.	bolt - run away; usually includes taking something or somebody along; "The thief made off with our silver"; "the accountant absconded with the cash from the safe" abscond, absquatulate, go off, make off, run off, decamp levant - run off without paying a debt flee, take flight, fly - run away quickly; "He threw down his gun and fled"
	5.	bolt - leave suddenly and as if in a hurry; "The listeners bolted when he discussed his strange ideas"; "When she started to tell silly stories, I ran out" beetle off, bolt out, run off, run out go forth, leave, go away - go away from a place; "At what time does your train leave?"; "She didn't leave until midnight"; "The ship leaves at midnight"
	6.	bolt - eat hastily without proper chewing; "Don't bolt your food!" gobble eat - take in solid food; "She was eating a banana"; "What did you eat for dinner last night?"
	7.	bolt - make or roll into bolts; "bolt fabric" furl, roll up - form into a cylinder by rolling; "Roll up the cloth"
Adv.	1.	bolt - in a rigid manner; "the body was rigidly erect"; "he sat bolt upright" rigidly, stiffly
	2.	bolt - directly; "he ran bang into the pole"; "ran slap into her" bang, slap, smack, slapdash colloquialism - a colloquial expression; characteristic of spoken or written communication that seeks to imitate informal speech