bolt

noun

1. A (usually) metal fastener consisting of a cylindrical body that is threaded, with a larger head on one end. It can be inserted into an unthreaded hole up to the head, with a nut then threaded on the other end; a heavy machine screw.
2. Latch-related senses

   “There was the noise of a bolt shot back, and the door opened a few inches, enough to show a long snout and a pair of sleepy blinking eyes.”

3. Latch-related senses
4. Latch-related senses
5. An iron to fasten the legs of a prisoner; a shackle; a fetter.

   “He shall to prison, and there die in boults.”

   “Away with him to prison! Lay bolts enough upon him:”

6. A stalk or scape (of garlic, onion, etc).

   “All kinds of vegetables may be used as a topping, but the best are strongly flavoured ones without too much moisture, such as celery, garlic bolts, chives, scallions, or various beans (long beans, green beans etc.) ...”

   “She ordered Cat's Ear Noodles heaped with garlic bolts and tomatoes, the broth thick with cumin, laced with black vinegar. The girl caught her accent, the sibilant sing-song of the south, and smiled, tilting her head questioningly.”

7. A large roll of fabric or similar material, as a bolt of cloth.

   “Mr. Cole, Basket-maker...has lost near 300 boults of rods”

   “Not only were the old sails being mended, but new sails were coming on board, and bolts of canvas, and coils of rigging; in short, everything betokened that the ship's preparations were hurrying to a close.”

8. A large roll of fabric or similar material, as a bolt of cloth.
9. Senses involving sudden movement
10. Senses involving sudden movement

    “He had seen lightning bolts yesterday night.”

11. Senses involving sudden movement

    “The problem's solution struck him like a bolt from the blue.”

    “With a bolt of fright he remembered that there was no bathroom in the Hobhouse Room. He leapt along the corridor in a panic, stopping by the long-case clock at the end where he flattened himself against the wall.”

12. Senses involving sudden movement

    “The horse made a bolt.”

13. Senses involving sudden movement

    “This gentleman was so hopelessly involved that he contemplated a bolt to America — or anywhere.”

14. (US)Senses involving sudden movement
15. Senses involving sudden movement

    “In the event they lacked a proper midfield bolt, with Toni Kroos and Sami Khedira huffing around in pursuit of the whizzing green machine. The centre-backs looked flustered, left to deal with three on two as Mexico broke. Löw’s 4-2-3-1 seemed antiquated and creaky, with the old World Cup shark Thomas Müller flat-footed in a wide position.”

16. A sieve, especially a long fine sieve used in milling for bolting flour and meal; a bolter.

    “The combination, in a flour bolt, of a reel head having a throat near its outer edge for the passage of the tailings and a series of revolving adjustable beaters, substantially as set forth.”

    “We have a number of these reels in different mills that are bolting the break flour direct from the scalping reels and scalped through No. 8 cloth. […] Now, gentlemen, they require a much less number to do a given amount of work than any other known machine or bolt, and require less space and power.”

    “As the material is agitated by the motion of the bolt, the flour falls through, while the smaller particles of bran are taken up by the current of air and carried off.”

verb

1. (transitive)To connect or assemble pieces using a bolt.

   “Bolt the vice to the bench.”

2. (figuratively, transitive)To affix in a crude or unnatural manner.

   “Most languages are *not* based on C++. C++ is a complicated mess. It's C with object oriented features bolted on as an afterthought and no-one in their right mind would want to base another language on it.”

   “Going through the motions with an empty smile bolted on my face”

3. (transitive)To secure a door by locking or barring it.

   “Bolt the door.”

   “If that double-bolted land, Japan, is ever to become hospitable, it is the whale-ship alone to whom the credit will be due; for already she is on the threshold.”

4. (intransitive)To flee, to depart, to accelerate away suddenly.

   “Seeing the snake, the horse bolted.”

   “The actor forgot his line and bolted from the stage.”

   “This Pucke ſeems but a dreaming dolt, / Still vvalking like a ragged Colt, / And oft out of a buſh doth bolt, / Of purpoſe to deceiue vs, / And leading vs makes vs to ſtray.”

   “Bradly was embarrassed, detected in the character of a snooper. But he had to come on, short of bolting back in his tracks.”

5. (intransitive)To escape.
6. (transitive)To cause to start or spring forth; to dislodge (an animal being hunted).

   “to bolt a rabbit”

7. To strike or fall suddenly like a bolt.

   “His cloudleſs thunder bolted on thir heads.”

8. (intransitive)To produce flower stalks and flowers or seeds quickly or prematurely; to form a bolt (stalk or scape); to go to seed.

   “Lettuce and spinach will bolt as the weather warms up.”

   “When an onion bolts and forms a flower stalk, the stem grows right up through the neck, forming a tough, fibrous tube that pierces the center of the bulb. The plant channels all its energy into this flower stalk, so no more fleshy […]”

   “To be honest, this hasn't been my Garden of Eden year. […] The lettuce turned bitter and bolted. The Green Comet broccoli was good, but my coveted Romanescos never headed up.”

   “Hardneck garlic bolts, which means it produces a single flower stalk, also known as a scape. It is considered to be far tastier and “gourmet.” You can find hardneck garlic mainly at farmers' markets […]”

9. (transitive)To swallow food without chewing it.

   “Though amid all the smoking horror and diabolism of a sea-fight, sharks will be seen longingly gazing up to the ship’s decks, like hungry dogs round a table where red meat is being carved, ready to bolt down every killed man that is tossed to them;”

   “Some hawks and owls bolt their prey whole, and after an interval of from twelve to twenty hours, disgorge pellets, which, as I know from experiments made in the Zoological Gardens, include seeds capable of germination.”

10. (transitive)To drink one's drink very quickly; to down a drink.

    “Come on, everyone, bolt your drinks; I want to go to the next pub!”

11. (US)To refuse to support a nomination made by a party or caucus with which one has been connected; to break away from a party.

    “John Silber charged that people who bolted the Democratic Party in this election are "Kamakaze ^([sic]) liberals", beneath contempt and clearly too stupid to deserve to vote.”

12. To utter precipitately; to blurt or throw out.

    “I hate when vice can bolt her arguments.”

13. To sift, especially through a cloth.
14. To sift the bran and germ from wheat flour.

    “Graham flour is unbolted flour; in contrast, some other flours have been bolted.”

15. To separate, assort, refine, or purify by other means.

    “ill schooled in bolted language”

    “Time and Nature will Bolt out the Truth of Things.”

16. To discuss or argue privately, and for practice, as cases at law.

    “[…]the old habits of mooting or bolting caſes (i.e. of public disputations), might make the ſtudent more ſubtle and acute”

adv

1. (not-comparable)Suddenly; straight; unbendingly.

   “The soldiers stood bolt upright for inspection.”

   “[He] came bolt up against the heavy dragoon.”

name

1. (countable, uncountable)A surname transferred from the nickname.
2. (countable, uncountable)A census-designated place in Raleigh County, West Virginia, United States, named after an early postmaster.
3. (countable, uncountable)An unincorporated community in the town of Franklin, Kewaunee County, Wisconsin, United States.