/ bəʊlt; NAmE boʊlt/ noun , verb , adverb
■ noun
1.
a long, narrow piece of metal that you slide across the inside of a door or window in order to lock it
2.
a piece of metal like a screw without a point which is used with a circle of metal (= a nut ) to fasten things together :
nuts and bolts
3.
bolt of lightning a sudden flash of lightning in the sky, appearing as a line
4.
a short heavy arrow shot from a crossbow
5.
a long piece of cloth wound in a roll around a piece of cardboard
•
IDIOMS
- a bolt from the blue
- make a bolt for sth | make a bolt for it
—more at nut noun , shot verb
■ verb
1.
to fasten sth such as a door or window by sliding a bolt across; to be able to be fastened in this way :
[ vn ]
Don't forget to bolt the door.
[ v ]
The gate bolts on the inside.
2.
[ vn ] bolt A to B | bolt A and B together to fasten things together with a bolt :
The vice is bolted to the workbench.
The various parts of the car are then bolted together.
3.
[ v ] if an animal, especially a horse, bolts , it suddenly runs away because it is frightened
4.
[ v , usually + adv. / prep. ] ( of a person ) to run away, especially in order to escape :
When he saw the police arrive, he bolted down an alley.
5.
[ vn ] bolt sth (down) to eat sth very quickly :
Don't bolt your food!
6.
( NAmE ) to stop supporting a particular group or political party :
[ vn ]
Many Democrats bolted the party to vote Republican.
[also v ]
7.
[ v ] ( of a plant, especially a vegetable ) to grow too quickly and start producing seeds and so become less good to eat
•
IDIOMS
see stable door noun
■ adverb
•
IDIOMS
- sit / stand bolt upright
••
WORD ORIGIN
noun senses 1 to 4 and verb senses 1 to 2 Old English , arrow , of unknown origin; related to Dutch bout and German Bolzen arrow, bolt for a door.
verb senses 3 to 7 Middle English : from the other verb senses of bolt , expressing the sense fly like an arrow .
noun sense 5 Middle English : transferred use of bolt metal pin .