Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense bolts, present participle bolting, past tense, past participle bolted
1. countable noun
A bolt is a long metal object which screws into a nut and is used to fasten things together.
2. verb
When you bolt one thing to another, you fasten them firmly together, using a bolt.
The safety belt is easy to fit as there's no need to bolt it to seat belt anchoragepoints. [VERB noun + to]
Bolt the components together. [V n with together/on]
The doors were bolted on. [V n with together/on]
...a wooden bench which was bolted to the floor. [VERB-ed]
3. countable noun
A bolt on a door or window is a metal bar that you can slide across in order to fasten the door or window.
I heard the sound of a bolt being slowly and reluctantly slid open.
4. verb
When you bolt a door or window, you slide the bolt across to fasten it.
He reminded her that he would have to lock and bolt the kitchen door after her. [VERB noun]
...the heavy bolted doors . [VERB-ed]
Synonyms: lock, close, bar, secure More Synonyms of bolt
5. verb
If a person or animal bolts, they suddenly start to run very fast, often because something has frightened them.
The horse bolted when a gun went off. [VERB]
I made some excuse and bolted for the exit. [VERB preposition/adverb]
Synonyms: dash, run, fly, spring More Synonyms of bolt
6. verb
If you bolt your food, you eat it so quickly that you hardly chew it or taste it.
Being under stress can cause you to miss meals, eat on the move, or bolt your food. [VERB noun]
Bolt down means the same as bolt.
Back then I could bolt down three or four burgers and a pile of French fries. [VERBPARTICLE noun]
[Also VERB noun PARTICLE]
7. countable noun
A bolt of lightning is a flash of lightning that is seen as a white line in the sky.
Suddenly a bolt of lightning crackled through the sky. [+ of]
Synonyms: flash, thunderbolt, burst, streak More Synonyms of bolt
8. countable noun [usually NOUNof noun]
A boltof cloth is a long wide piece of it that is wound into a roll round a piece of cardboard.
...bolts of black silk.
Synonyms: bale, amount, roll, quantity More Synonyms of bolt
9. verb
When vegetables such as lettuces or onions bolt, they grow too quickly and produce flowers and seeds, and therefore become less goodto eat.
If the soil dries out the plants may bolt. [VERB]
10.
See make a bolt for swh/make a bolt for it
11.
See bolt from the blue
12.
See bolt upright
13. nuts and bolts
14. to close the stable door after the horse has bolted
Phrasal verbs:
See bolt down
More Synonyms of bolt
bolt in British English1
(bəʊlt)
noun
1.
a bar that can be slid into a socket to lock a door, gate, etc
2.
a bar or rod that forms part of a locking mechanism and is moved by a key or a knob
3.
a metal rod or pin that has a head at one end and a screw thread at the other to take a nut
4.
a sliding bar in a breech-loading firearm that ejects the empty cartridge, replaces it with a new one, and closes the breech
5.
a flash of lightning
6.
a sudden start or movement, esp in order to escape
they made a bolt for the door
7. US
a sudden desertion, esp from a political party
8.
a roll of something, such as cloth, wallpaper, etc
9.
an arrow, esp for a crossbow
10. printing
a folded edge on a sheet of paper that is removed when cutting to size
11. mechanical engineering short for expansion bolt
12. a bolt from the blue
13. shoot one's bolt
verb
14. (transitive)
to secure or lock with or as with a bolt or bolts
bolt your doors
15. (transitive)
to eat hurriedly
don't bolt your food
16. (intr; usually foll by from or out)
to move or jump suddenly
he bolted from the chair
17. (intransitive)
(esp of a horse) to start hurriedly and run away without warning
18. (transitive)
to roll or make (cloth, wallpaper, etc) into bolts
19. US
to desert (a political party, etc)
20. (intransitive)
(of cultivated plants) to produce flowers and seeds prematurely
21. (transitive)
to cause (a wild animal) to leave its lair; start
terriers were used for bolting rats
adverb
22.
stiffly, firmly, or rigidly (archaic except in the phrase bolt upright)
Word origin
Old English bolt arrow; related to Old High German bolz bolt for a crossbow
bolt in British English2
or boult (bəʊlt)
verb(transitive)
1.
to pass (flour, a powder, etc) through a sieve
2.
to examine and separate
Derived forms
bolter (ˈbolter) or boulter (ˈboulter)
noun
Word origin
C13: from Old French bulter, probably of Germanic origin; compare Old High German būtil bag
Bolt in British English
(bəʊlt)
noun
1.
Robert (Oxton). 1924–95, British playwright. His plays include A Man for All Seasons (1960) and he also wrote a number of screenplays
2.
Usain (juːˈseɪn) (St Leo). born 1986, Jamaican athlete: gold medallist in the 100 metres and 200 metres at the 2008 Olympic Games; successfully defended both titles in 2012 and 2016
bolt in American English1
(boʊlt)
noun
1.
a short, heavy, often blunt arrow shot from a crossbow
2.
a flash of lightning; thunderbolt
3.
a sudden dash or movement
4.
a sliding bar for locking a door, gate, etc.
5.
a similar bar in a lock, moved by a key
6.
a threaded metal rod or pin for joining parts, having a head and usually used with a nut
7.
a roll (of cloth, paper, etc.) of a given length
8.
a jet or column (of some liquid)
9. US
a bolting or withdrawal from one's party or group
10. Firearms
a sliding bar that pushes the cartridge into place, closes the breech, and extracts the empty cartridge case after firing
verb transitive
11. Archaic
to shoot (an arrow, etc.)
12.
to say suddenly or unexpectedly; blurt (out)
13.
to swallow (food) hurriedly; gulp down
14.
to hold together or fasten with or as with a bolt
15.
to roll (cloth, etc.) into bolts
16. US
to withdraw support from or abandon (a party, group, etc.)
verb intransitive
17.
to dash out suddenly; spring; dart
18.
to start suddenly and run away, as a horse
19. US
to withdraw support from or abandon a party, group, etc.
20. Horticulture
to produce seed prematurely
Idioms:
bolt from the blue
bolt upright
shoot one's bolt
Word origin
ME & OE, akin to Ger bolzen < IE base *bheld-, to knock, strike
bolt in American English2
(boʊlt)
verb transitive
1.
to sift (flour, grain, etc.) so as to separate and grade
2. Archaic
to inspect and separate, as good from bad; examine closely
Word origin
ME bulten < OFr buleter, ? dissimilated < *bureter < bure (< VL *bura), coarse cloth; akin to It burattare < buratto, sieve
bolt in Mechanical Engineering
(boʊlt)
Word forms: (regular plural) bolts
noun
(Mechanical engineering: General)
A bolt is a pin with parallel threads and a flat end, used for fastening parts together and often secured with a nut.
Make sure the parts to be joined together are securely held with nuts and bolts.
Loosen the nut from the bolt by turning it repeatedly.
A bolt is a pin with parallel threads and a flat end, used for fastening parts togetherand often secured with a nut.
Related wordsCompare bolt with the following words.eyeboltnutstudwasher
More idioms containing
bolt
someone has shot their bolt
a bolt from the blue
Examples of 'bolt' in a sentence
bolt
There is enough energy in a lightning bolt to power about a billion homes.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
But then a lightning bolt struck me and that lightning bolt was Sophie.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Or become a Scrooge and bolt the door.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
I am wearing a fetching pink leotard with a lightning bolt on it.
The Sun (2016)
It is weird and unsettling and sends one of our group bolting for the door, begging to leave.
The Sun (2016)
From my experience, that theory really only applies to athletes or teams whose initial success was a bolt from the blue.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Which means that the lightning appeared far away from its parent thunderstorm - and showed that a bolt from the blue is no urban myth.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
This was another bolt from the blue.
Jan Fennell FRIENDS FOR LIFE (2003)
There are various wires and bolts running into and through his leg.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
The bolt on the door is faulty.
The Sun (2009)
But the demands of success hit them like a bolt of lightning.
The Sun (2007)
Now people lock their doors and windows and bolt them too.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
His face flushed scarlet and he sat bolt upright.
Frances Hodgson Burnett The Secret Garden (1911)
Steel bars were bolted to the replacement windscreen and they carried on.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Although the bolt hole is small it does not compromise on luxury.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
The opening bars certainly make you sit bolt upright.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
This appears to come as a bit of a bolt from the blue.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
The horse has long since bolted.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
There are few more enticing bolt holes to run for than the one that says that all this effort and giving is counterproductive.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
If your friend intends to carry on in his flat, fit his room with a lock or bolt.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
I heard the bolts fastened again.
Deborah Cadbury THE LOST KING OF FRANCE: Revolution, Revenge and the Search for Louis XVII (2002)
In other languages
bolt
British English: bolt /bəʊlt/ NOUN
A bolt is a long metal object which screws into a nut and is used to fasten things together.
American English: bolt
Arabic: تِرْباس
Brazilian Portuguese: trinco
Chinese: 门栓
Croatian: vijak
Czech: šroub
Danish: bolt
Dutch: bout
European Spanish: tornillo
Finnish: salpa
French: boulon
German: Riegel Speerstück
Greek: βίδα
Italian: bullone
Japanese: かんぬき
Korean: 빗장
Norwegian: bolt
Polish: śruba
European Portuguese: trinco
Romanian: șurub; nit
Russian: болт
Latin American Spanish: cerrojo
Swedish: åskvigg
Thai: สลักเกลียว
Turkish: sürgü
Ukrainian: болт
Vietnamese: then cửa
British English: bolt VERB
If a person or animal bolts, they suddenly start to run very fast, often because something has frightened them.
The animal rose squealing and bolted.
American English: bolt
Brazilian Portuguese: disparar
Chinese: 突然快跑因受惊吓
European Spanish: salir disparado
French: filer
German: weglaufen
Italian: scappare via
Japanese: 急に駆け出す
Korean: 갑자기 달아나다
European Portuguese: disparar
Latin American Spanish: salir disparado
All related terms of 'bolt'
U bolt
a metal bar bent into the shape of a U and threaded at both ends to receive securing nuts : used to secure leaf springs , ring bolts , shackles , etc
bolt-on
Bolt-on buys are purchases of other companies that a company makes in order to add them to its existing business .
bolt down
bolt hole
If you say that someone has a bolt-hole to go to, you mean that there is somewhere that they can go when they want to get away from people that they know .
eye bolt
a bolt with a loop for a head
lag bolt
→ lag screw
bolt cutter
a tool for cutting bolts , wire , etc, typically with very long handles and short blades , with compound hinges
coach bolt
a large round-headed bolt used esp to secure wood to masonry
panic bolt
a bolt on the inside esp of double doors that is released by pressure on a waist-high bar: used for emergency exits in theatres , shops, etc
safety bolt
a bolt or lock on a door or gate that cannot be moved from the outside
screw-bolt
a device used for fastening materials together, consisting of a threaded and usually tapered shank that has a slotted head by which it may be rotated so as to cut its own thread as it bores through the material
bolt cutters
a tool for cutting bolts , wire , etc, typically with very long handles and short blades , with compound hinges
bolt upright
If someone is sitting or standing bolt upright , they are sitting or standing very straight .
carriage bolt
a large round-headed bolt used esp to secure wood to masonry
machine bolt
a fastening bolt with a machine-cut thread
expansion bolt
a bolt that expands on tightening , enabling it to be secured into an unthreaded hole
shoot one's bolt
to exhaust one's effort
boltrope
a rope sewn to the foot or luff of a sail to strengthen it
bolt from the blue
If a piece of news comes like a bolt from the blue , it is completely unexpected and very surprising .
a bolt from the blue
an event or piece of news that surprises you because it was completely unexpected
someone has shot their bolt
said to mean that someone has done everything they can to achieve something but has failed , and now can do nothing else to achieve their aims
make a bolt for swh/make a bolt for it
If someone makes a bolt for somewhere , or makes a bolt for it , they make a sudden escape .
Chinese translation of 'bolt'
bolt
(bəult)
n(c)
(to lock door) 插销(銷) (chāxiāo) (个(個), gè)
(used with nut) 螺钉(釘) (luódīng) (颗, kē)
vt
[door]闩(閂) (shuān)
(= fasten)
to bolt sth to sth把某物栓在某物上 (bǎ mǒuwù shuān zài mǒuwù shang)
[food]囫囵(圇)吞下 (húlún tūnxià)
vi
(= run very fast)
[horse]迅速跑开(開) (xùnsù pǎokāi)
[person]跑开(開) (pǎokāi)
adv
bolt upright笔(筆)直 (bǐzhí)
a bolt of lightning一道闪(閃)电(電) (yī dào shǎndiàn)
a bolt from the blue晴天霹雳(靂) (qíngtiān pīlì)
1 (noun)
Definition
a metal rod or pin that has a head and a screw thread to take a nut
details right down to the dimensions of nuts and bolts
Synonyms
pin
the steel pin holding his left leg together
rod
peg
He builds furniture using wooden pegs instead of nails.
screw
Each bracket is fixed to the wall with just three screws.
rivet
fastener
2 (noun)
Definition
a bar that can be slid into a socket to lock a door, gate, etc.
I heard him slide the bolt across the door.
Synonyms
bar
catch
Always fit windows with safety locks or catches.
lock
He heard her key turning in the lock.
latch
You left the latch off the gate and the dog escaped.
fastener
sliding bar
3 (noun)
Definition
an arrow, esp. for a crossbow
He pulled the crossbow bolt from his head.
Synonyms
arrow
warriors armed with bows and arrows
missile
nuclear missiles
shaft
dart
He was struck in the arm by a poisoned dart.
projectile
an enormous artillery gun used to fire a huge projectile
4 (noun)
Definition
a flash (of lightning)
Suddenly a bolt of lightning crackled through the sky.
Synonyms
flash
a sudden flash of lightning
thunderbolt
burst
streak
shaft
A brilliant shaft of sunlight burst through the doorway.
5 (noun)
bolts of black silk
Synonyms
bale
amount
I still do a certain amount of work for them.
roll
a dozen rolls of film
quantity
a vast quantity of food
reel
packet
bundle
6 (noun)
Definition
a sudden movement, esp. in order to escape
a bolt for freedom
Synonyms
dash
a 160-mile dash to hospital
race
a running race across the Sahara desert
flight
spring
rush
The explosion caused panic and a mad rush for the doors.
rush
The explosion caused panic and a mad rush for the doors.
bound
sprint
dart
He made a dart for the finishing line.
spurt
I flushed bright red as a spurt of anger flashed through me.
1 (verb)
Definition
to secure or lock with or as if with a bolt
He reminded her to lock and bolt the kitchen door behind her.
Synonyms
lock
Are you sure you locked the front door?
close
If you are cold, close the window.
bar
For added safety, bar the door to the kitchen.
secure
With a discreet click he secured the lock.
fasten
He fastened the door behind him.
latch
He latched the door, tested it and turned round to speak to us.
2 (verb)
I made some excuse and bolted towards the exit.
Synonyms
dash
Suddenly she dashed out into the garden.
run
I excused myself and ran back to the telephone.
fly
I flew downstairs.
spring
The lion roared once and sprang.
jump
stamping their boots and jumping up and down to knock the snow off
rush
Someone inside the building rushed out.
bound
He bounded up the steps and pushed the bell of the door.
leap
The newsreels show him leaping into the air.
sprint
He sprinted to the car.
hurtle
A pretty young girl came hurtling down the stairs.
3 (verb)
Definition
(of a horse) to run away without control
They caught the horse 200 yards from where it had bolted.
Synonyms
run away
I ran away from home when I was sixteen.
escape
A prisoner has escaped from a jail in Northern England.
flee
He slammed the bedroom door behind him and fled.
abscond
A dozen inmates have absconded from the jail in the past year.
decamp
Bugsy decided to decamp to Hollywood from New York.
make a break (for it)
do a runner (slang)
The accountant did a runner.
run for it
Get out, run for it!
fly the coop (US, Canadian, informal)
take a powder (US, Canadian, slang)
take it on the lam (US, Canadian, slang)
4 (verb)
Definition
to eat hurriedly
Don't bolt your food.
Synonyms
gobble
He gobbled all the beef stew.
stuff
wallets stuffed with dollars
wolf
I was in the changing room wolfing down tea and sandwiches.
cram
gorge
I could spend all day gorging on chocolate.
devour
She devoured half an apple pie.
gulp
She quickly gulped her tea.
guzzle
She had been guzzling lemonade all evening.
swallow whole
idiom
See a bolt from the blue
Additional synonyms
in the sense of abscond
Definition
to run away unexpectedly
A dozen inmates have absconded from the jail in the past year.
Synonyms
escape,
flee,
get away,
bolt,
fly,
disappear,
skip,
run off,
slip away,
clear out,
flit (informal),
make off,
break free or out,
decamp,
hook it (slang),
do a runner (slang),
steal away,
sneak away,
do a bunk (British, slang),
fly the coop (US, Canadian, informal),
skedaddle (informal),
take a powder (US, Canadian, slang),
go on the lam (US, Canadian, slang),
make your getaway,
do a Skase (Australian, informal),
make or effect your escape
in the sense of amount
Definition
extent or quantity
I still do a certain amount of work for them.
Synonyms
quantity,
lot,
measure,
size,
supply,
mass,
volume,
capacity,
extent,
bulk,
number,
magnitude,
expanse
in the sense of bound
Definition
to bounce
He bounded up the steps and pushed the bell of the door.