Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of Bolt?

\Bolt\, n. [AS. bolt; akin to Icel. bolti, Dan. bolt, D. bout, OHG. bolz, G. bolz, bolzen; of uncertain origin.] 1. A shaft or missile intended to be shot from a crossbow or catapult, esp. a short, stout, blunt-headed arrow; a quarrel; an arrow, or that which resembles an arrow; a dart. Look that the crossbowmen lack not bolts. --Sir W. Scott. A fool's bolt is soon shot. --Shak. 2. Lightning; a thunderbolt. 3. A strong pin, of iron or other material, used to fasten or hold something in place, often having a head at one end and screw thread cut upon the other end. 4. A sliding catch, or fastening, as for a door or gate; the portion of a lock which is shot or withdrawn by the action of the key. 5. An iron to fasten the legs of a prisoner; a shackle; a fetter. [Obs.] Away with him to prison! lay bolts enough upon him. --Shak. 6. A compact package or roll of cloth, as of canvas or silk, often containing about forty yards. 7. A bundle, as of oziers. {Bolt auger}, an auger of large size; an auger to make holes for the bolts used by shipwrights. {Bolt and nut}, a metallic pin with a head formed upon one end, and a movable piece (the nut) screwed upon a thread cut upon the other end. See B, C, and D, in illust. above. Note: See {Tap bolt}, {Screw bolt}, and {Stud bolt}.
\Bolt\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Bolted}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Bolting}.] 1. To shoot; to discharge or drive forth. 2. To utter precipitately; to blurt or throw out. I hate when Vice can bolt her arguments. --Milton. 3. To swallow without chewing; as, to bolt food. 4. (U. S. Politics) To refuse to support, as a nomination made by a party to which one has belonged or by a caucus in which one has taken part. 5. (Sporting) To cause to start or spring forth; to dislodge, as conies, rabbits, etc. 6. To fasten or secure with, or as with, a bolt or bolts, as a door, a timber, fetters; to shackle; to restrain. Let tenfold iron bolt my door. --Langhorn. Which shackles accidents and bolts up change. --Shak.
\Bolt\ (b[=o]lt; 110), v. i. 1. To start forth like a bolt or arrow; to spring abruptly; to come or go suddenly; to dart; as, to bolt out of the room. This Puck seems but a dreaming dolt, . . . And oft out of a bush doth bolt. --Drayton. 2. To strike or fall suddenly like a bolt. His cloudless thunder bolted on their heads. --Milton. 3. To spring suddenly aside, or out of the regular path; as, the horse bolted. 4. (U.S. Politics) To refuse to support a nomination made by a party or a caucus with which one has been connected; to break away from a party.
\Bolt\, adv. In the manner of a bolt; suddenly; straight; unbendingly. [He] came bolt up against the heavy dragoon. --Thackeray. {Bolt upright}. (a) Perfectly upright; perpendicular; straight up; unbendingly erect. --Addison. (b) On the back at full length. [Obs.] --Chaucer.
\Bolt\, n. [From {Bolt}, v. i.] 1. A sudden spring or start; a sudden spring aside; as, the horse made a bolt. 2. A sudden flight, as to escape creditors. This gentleman was so hopelessly involved that he contemplated a bolt to America -- or anywhere. --Compton Reade. 3. (U. S. Politics) A refusal to support a nomination made by the party with which one has been connected; a breaking away from one's party.
\Bolt\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Bolted}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Bolting}.] [OE. bolten, boulten, OF. buleter, F. bluter, fr. Ll. buletare, buratare, cf. F. bure coarse woolen stuff; fr. L. burrus red. See {Borrel}, and cf. {Bultel}.] 1. To sift or separate the coarser from the finer particles of, as bran from flour, by means of a bolter; to separate, assort, refine, or purify by other means. He now had bolted all the flour. --Spenser. Ill schooled in bolted language. --Shak. 2. To separate, as if by sifting or bolting; -- with out. Time and nature will bolt out the truth of things. --L'Estrange. 3. (Law) To discuss or argue privately, and for practice, as cases at law. --Jacob. {To bolt to the bran}, to examine thoroughly, so as to separate or discover everything important. --Chaucer. This bolts the matter fairly to the bran. --Harte. The report of the committee was examined and sifted and bolted to the bran. --Burke.
\Bolt\, n. A sieve, esp. a long fine sieve used in milling for bolting flour and meal; a bolter. --B. Jonson.