BOLT

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does bolt mean? 

• BOLT (noun)
  The noun BOLT has 7 senses:

1. a discharge of lightning accompanied by thunder

2. a sliding bar in a breech-loading firearm that ejects an empty cartridge and replaces it and closes the breech

3. the part of a lock that is engaged or withdrawn with a key

4. the act of moving with great haste

5. a roll of cloth or wallpaper of a definite length

6. a screw that screws into a nut to form a fastener

7. a sudden abandonment (as from a political party)

  Familiarity information: BOLT used as a noun is common.

• BOLT (verb)
  The verb BOLT has 7 senses:

1. move or jump suddenly

2. secure or lock with a bolt

3. swallow hastily

4. run away; usually includes taking something or somebody along

5. leave suddenly and as if in a hurry

6. eat hastily without proper chewing

7. make or roll into bolts

  Familiarity information: BOLT used as a verb is common.

• BOLT (adverb)
  The adverb BOLT has 2 senses:

1. in a rigid manner

2. directly

  Familiarity information: BOLT used as an adverb is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• BOLT (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A discharge of lightning accompanied by thunder

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural phenomena

Synonyms:

bolt; bolt of lightning; thunderbolt

Hypernyms ("bolt" is a kind of...):

lightning (abrupt electric discharge from cloud to cloud or from cloud to earth accompanied by the emission of light)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A sliding bar in a breech-loading firearm that ejects an empty cartridge and replaces it and closes the breech

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("bolt" is a kind of...):

bar (a rigid piece of metal or wood; usually used as a fastening or obstruction or weapon)

Holonyms ("bolt" is a part of...):

rifle (a shoulder firearm with a long barrel and a rifled bore)

Sense 3

Meaning:

The part of a lock that is engaged or withdrawn with a key

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

bolt; deadbolt

Hypernyms ("bolt" is a kind of...):

bar (a rigid piece of metal or wood; usually used as a fastening or obstruction or weapon)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "bolt"):

safety bolt; safety lock (a bolt that cannot be moved from outside the door or gate)

Holonyms ("bolt" is a part of...):

lock (a fastener fitted to a door or drawer to keep it firmly closed)

Derivation:

bolt (secure or lock with a bolt)

Sense 4

Meaning:

The act of moving with great haste

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

bolt; dash

Context example:

he made a dash for the door

Hypernyms ("bolt" is a kind of...):

haste; hurry; rush; rushing (the act of moving hurriedly and in a careless manner)

Derivation:

bolt (move or jump suddenly)

Sense 5

Meaning:

A roll of cloth or wallpaper of a definite length

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("bolt" is a kind of...):

roll (anything rolled up in cylindrical form)

Sense 6

Meaning:

A screw that screws into a nut to form a fastener

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("bolt" is a kind of...):

screw (a fastener with a tapered threaded shank and a slotted head)

Meronyms (parts of "bolt"):

clinch (the flattened part of a nail or bolt or rivet)

head (a projection out from one end)

shank (cylinder forming the part of a bolt between the thread and the head)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "bolt"):

carriage bolt (a roundheaded bolt for timber; threaded along part of the shank; inserted into holes already drilled)

expansion bolt (a bolt that has an attachment that expands as the bolt is driven into a surface)

kingbolt; kingpin; swivel pin (bolt that provides a steering joint in a motor vehicle)

machine bolt (a bolt with a square or hexagonal head on one end and a threaded shaft on the other end; tightened with a wrench; used to connect metal parts)

stove bolt (a small machine bolt)

Holonyms ("bolt" is a part of...):

nut and bolt (a fastener made by screwing a nut onto a threaded bolt)

Sense 7

Meaning:

A sudden abandonment (as from a political party)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("bolt" is a kind of...):

abandonment; desertion; forsaking (the act of giving something up)

Domain category:

government; political science; politics (the study of government of states and other political units)

Derivation:

bolt (run away; usually includes taking something or somebody along)

• BOLT (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they bolt    ... he / she / it bolts   
Past simple: bolted   
Past participle: bolted   
-ing form: bolting   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Move or jump suddenly

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Context example:

She bolted from her seat

Hypernyms (to "bolt" is one way to...):

move (move so as to change position, perform a nontranslational motion)

Sentence frame:

Something is ----ing PP

Derivation:

bolt (the act of moving with great haste)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Secure or lock with a bolt

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Context example:

bolt the door

Hypernyms (to "bolt" is one way to...):

lock (fasten with a lock)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Antonym:

unbolt (undo the bolt of)

Derivation:

bolt (the part of a lock that is engaged or withdrawn with a key)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Swallow hastily

Classified under:

Verbs of eating and drinking

Hypernyms (to "bolt" is one way to...):

get down; swallow (pass through the esophagus as part of eating or drinking)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 4

Meaning:

Run away; usually includes taking something or somebody along

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

abscond; absquatulate; bolt; decamp; go off; make off; run off

Context example:

the accountant absconded with the cash from the safe

Hypernyms (to "bolt" is one way to...):

flee; fly; take flight (run away quickly)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "bolt"):

levant (run off without paying a debt)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s PP

Derivation:

bolt (a sudden abandonment (as from a political party))

Sense 5

Meaning:

Leave suddenly and as if in a hurry

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

beetle off; bolt; bolt out; run off; run out

Context example:

When she started to tell silly stories, I ran out

Hypernyms (to "bolt" is one way to...):

go away; go forth; leave (go away from a place)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s PP

Sense 6

Meaning:

Eat hastily without proper chewing

Classified under:

Verbs of eating and drinking

Synonyms:

bolt; gobble

Context example:

Don't bolt your food!

Hypernyms (to "bolt" is one way to...):

eat (take in solid food)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sentence example:

They bolt more bread

Sense 7

Meaning:

Make or roll into bolts

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context example:

bolt fabric

Hypernyms (to "bolt" is one way to...):

furl; roll up (form into a cylinder by rolling)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

• BOLT (adverb)

Sense 1

Meaning:

In a rigid manner

Synonyms:

bolt; rigidly; stiffly

Context example:

he sat bolt upright

Sense 2

Meaning:

Directly

Synonyms:

bang; bolt; slap; slapdash; smack

Context example:

ran slap into her

Domain usage:

colloquialism (a colloquial expression; characteristic of spoken or written communication that seeks to imitate informal speech)

 Context examples 

Mercury will go direct on March 9, but it is not wise to begin normal activities (such as to agree to a venture or deal) on or near the date Mercury bolts direct.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

He had shot his bolt, and shot it hard, and now he was down on his back.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

Then Gretel gave her a push that drove her far into it, and shut the iron door, and fastened the bolt.

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)

While the revelation showed how Jupiter lightning is similar to Earth's, where these lightning bolts flash on each planet is actually quite different.

(Juno Solves 39-Year Old Mystery of Jupiter Lightning, NASA)

Compared with other spinach varieties, it has moderate resistance to bolting.

(World's First True Red Spinach Variety Released, U.S. Department of Agriculture)

It would suit us best, but it is bolted as well as locked, and we should make too much noise getting in.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

No one could pass these shutters if they were bolted.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

As he talked, Edith wrote his story down, while the Indians listened, and Hans guarded the door for fear the witnesses might bolt.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)

When I knocked the shackle-bolt loose, the chain roared out through the hawse-hole and into the sea.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

Holmes edged his way round the wall and flinging the shutters together, he bolted them securely.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)