bolt

bolt¹

noun

1》 a long pin with a head that screws into a nut, used to fasten things together.

    ↘a bar that slides into a socket to fasten a door or window.

    ↘the sliding piece of the breech mechanism of a rifle.

2》 a short, heavy arrow shot from a crossbow.

3》 a flash of lightning across the sky.

verb fasten with a bolt.

Phrases

a bolt from (or out of) the blue a sudden and unexpected event.

bolt upright with the back very straight.

have shot one's bolt informal have done everything possible but still not succeeded.

Origin

OE: of unknown origin.

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bolt²

verb

1》 run away suddenly.

    ↘(in hunting) cause (a rabbit or fox) to run out of its burrow or hole.

2》 (of a plant) grow quickly upwards and stop flowering as seeds develop.

3》 eat (food) quickly.

Phrases

make a bolt for try to escape by running suddenly towards.

Derivatives

bolter noun

Origin

ME: from bolt¹, expressing the sense 'fly like an arrow'.

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bolt³

noun

1》 a roll of fabric, originally as a measure.

2》 a folded edge of a piece of paper that is trimmed off to allow it to be opened.

Origin

ME: transferred use of bolt¹.

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bolt⁴

(also boult)

verb archaic pass through a sieve.

Origin

ME: from OFr. bulter.