bolt - Dictionary definition and pronunciation - Yahoo! Education
Reference
Dictionary
Encyclopedia
Thesaurus
World Factbook
Spanish Dictionary
Anatomy
Conversion Calculator
 
bolt1  audio  (blt) KEY 

NOUN:
  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 A metal bar or rod in the mechanism of a lock that is thrown or withdrawn by turning the key.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.
    1. A sliding metal bar that positions the cartridge in breechloading rifles, closes the breech, and ejects the spent cartridge.
    2. 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.
VERB:
bolt·ed, bolt·ing, bolts
VERB:
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).
VERB:
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.
ETYMOLOGY:
Middle English, from Old English, heavy arrow


 Visit our partner's site
Provided by Houghton Mifflin
logoeReference -- Download this interactive reference software to your desktop computer