bolt

[ bohlt ]

/ boʊlt /

noun

a movable bar or rod that when slid into a socket fastens a door, gate, etc.

the part of a lock that is shot from and drawn back into the case, as by the action of the key.

any of several types of strong fastening rods, pins, or screws, usually threaded to receive a nut.

a sudden dash, run, flight, or escape.

a sudden desertion from a meeting, political party, social movement, etc.

a length of woven goods, especially as it comes on a roll from the loom.

a roll of wallpaper.

Bookbinding. the three edges of a folded sheet that must be cut so that the leaves can be opened.

a rod, bar, or plate that closes the breech of a breechloading rifle, especially a sliding rod or bar that shoves a cartridge into the firing chamber as it closes the breech.

a jet of water, molten glass, etc.

an arrow, especially a short, heavy one for a crossbow.

a shaft of lightning; thunderbolt.

a length of timber to be cut into smaller pieces.

a slice from a log, as a short, round piece of wood used for a chopping block.

verb (used with object)

to fasten with or as with a bolt.

to discontinue support of or participation in; break with: to bolt a political party.

to shoot or discharge (a missile), as from a crossbow or catapult.

to utter hastily; say impulsively; blurt out.

to swallow (one's food or drink) hurriedly: She bolted her breakfast and ran to school.

to make (cloth, wallpaper, etc.) into bolts.

Fox Hunting. (of hounds) to force (a fox) into the open.

verb (used without object)

to make a sudden, swift dash, run, flight, or escape; spring away suddenly: The rabbit bolted into its burrow.

to break away, as from one's political party.

to eat hurriedly or without chewing.

Horticulture. to produce flowers or seeds prematurely.

adverb

Archaic. with sudden meeting or collision; suddenly.

Idioms for bolt

bolt from the blue, a sudden and entirely unforeseen event: His decision to leave college was a bolt from the blue for his parents. Also bolt out of the blue.

bolt upright, stiffly upright; rigidly straight: The explosive sound caused him to sit bolt upright in his chair.

shoot one's bolt, Informal. to make an exhaustive effort or expenditure: The lawyer shot his bolt the first day of the trial and had little to say thereafter.

Origin of bolt

before 1000; Middle English (noun, v., and adv.), Old English (noun), cognate with Dutch bout, German Bolz

SYNONYMS FOR bolt

22 dash, rush, run, fly, speed, scoot, flee, bound.

OTHER WORDS FROM bolt

bolt·er, noun bolt·less, adjective bolt·like, adjective

Words nearby bolt

bolshoi ballet, bolshoi theater, bolshy, bolson, bolster, bolt, bolt boat, bolt from (out of) the blue, bolt from the blue, a, bolt hole, bolt upright

British Dictionary definitions for shoot one's bolt (1 of 3)

Bolt

/ (bəʊlt) /

noun

Robert (Oxton). 1924–95, British playwright. His plays include A Man for All Seasons (1960) and he also wrote a number of screenplays

Usain (juːˈseɪn). born 1986, Jamaican athlete: winner of the 100 metres and the 200 metres in the 2008 Olympic Games, setting world records at both distances

British Dictionary definitions for shoot one's bolt (2 of 3)

bolt ¹

/ (bəʊlt) /

noun

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

a bar or rod that forms part of a locking mechanism and is moved by a key or a knob

a metal rod or pin that has a head at one end and a screw thread at the other to take a nut

a sliding bar in a breech-loading firearm that ejects the empty cartridge, replaces it with a new one, and closes the breech

a flash of lightning

a sudden start or movement, esp in order to escape they made a bolt for the door

US a sudden desertion, esp from a political party

a roll of something, such as cloth, wallpaper, etc

an arrow, esp for a crossbow

printing a folded edge on a sheet of paper that is removed when cutting to size

mechanical engineering short for expansion bolt

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

shoot one's bolt to exhaust one's effort the runner had shot his bolt

verb

(tr) to secure or lock with or as with a bolt or bolts bolt your doors

(tr) to eat hurriedly don't bolt your food

(intr; usually foll by from or out) to move or jump suddenly he bolted from the chair

(intr) (esp of a horse) to start hurriedly and run away without warning

(tr) to roll or make (cloth, wallpaper, etc) into bolts

US to desert (a political party, etc)

(intr) (of cultivated plants) to produce flowers and seeds prematurely

(tr) to cause (a wild animal) to leave its lair; start terriers were used for bolting rats

adverb

stiffly, firmly, or rigidly (archaic except in the phrase bolt upright)

Word Origin for bolt

Old English bolt arrow; related to Old High German bolz bolt for a crossbow

British Dictionary definitions for shoot one's bolt (3 of 3)

bolt ²

boult

/ (bəʊlt) /

verb (tr)

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

to examine and separate

Derived forms of bolt

bolter or boulter, noun

Word Origin for bolt

C13: from Old French bulter, probably of Germanic origin; compare Old High German būtil bag

Idioms and Phrases with shoot one's bolt (1 of 2)

shoot one's bolt

Also, shoot one's wad. Do all within one's power; exhaust one's resources or capabilities. For example, They were asking for more ideas but Bob had shot his bolt and couldn't come up with any, or Don't shoot your wad with that article or you won't have any material for the sequels. The first expression comes from archery and referred to using up all of one's bolts (short, heavy arrows fired with a crossbow); it was a proverb by the 1200s. The colloquial variant, dating from about 1900, comes from gambling and refers to spending all of a wad of rolled-up banknotes. Also see shoot the works.

Idioms and Phrases with shoot one's bolt (2 of 2)

bolt

In addition to the idioms beginning with bolt

bolt from the blue, a
bolt upright

also see:

nuts and bolts
shoot one's bolt

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

bolt

noun

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

adverb

Idioms for bolt

Origin of bolt

SYNONYMS FOR bolt

OTHER WORDS FROM bolt

Words nearby bolt

British Dictionary definitions for shoot one's bolt (1 of 3)

noun

British Dictionary definitions for shoot one's bolt (2 of 3)

noun

verb

adverb

Word Origin for bolt

British Dictionary definitions for shoot one's bolt (3 of 3)

boult

verb (tr)

Derived forms of bolt

Word Origin for bolt

Idioms and Phrases with shoot one's bolt (1 of 2)

Idioms and Phrases with shoot one's bolt (2 of 2)

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

bolt

noun

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

adverb

Idioms for bolt

Origin of bolt

SYNONYMS FOR bolt

OTHER WORDS FROM bolt

Words nearby bolt

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []) .push({}); British Dictionary definitions for shoot one's bolt (1 of 3)

noun

British Dictionary definitions for shoot one's bolt (2 of 3)

noun

verb

adverb

Word Origin for bolt

British Dictionary definitions for shoot one's bolt (3 of 3)

boult

verb (tr)

Derived forms of bolt

Word Origin for bolt

Idioms and Phrases with shoot one's bolt (1 of 2)

Idioms and Phrases with shoot one's bolt (2 of 2)

British Dictionary definitions for shoot one's bolt (1 of 3)