bolt

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.

Latch-related senses; A sliding pin or bar in a lock or latch mechanism.

• 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.

Latch-related senses; A bar of wood or metal dropped in horizontal hooks on a door and adjoining wall or between the two sides of a double door, to prevent the door(s) from being forced open.

Latch-related senses; A sliding mechanism to chamber and unchamber a cartridge in a firearm.

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:

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.

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.

A large roll of fabric or similar material, as a bolt of cloth.; The standard linear measurement of canvas for use at sea: 39 yards.

Senses involving sudden movement; A small personal-armour-piercing missile for short-range use, or (in common usage though deprecated by experts) a short arrow, intended to be shot from a crossbow or a catapult.

Senses involving sudden movement; A lightning spark, i.e., a lightning bolt. (See thunderbolt.)

• He had seen lightning bolts yesterday night.

To connect or assemble pieces using a bolt.transitive

• Bolt the vice to the bench.

To affix in a crude or unnatural manner.figurativelytransitive

• 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

To secure a bolt or bolts; to lock using a bolt.transitive

• Bolt the door.

To flee, to depart, to accelerate away suddenly.intransitive

• Seeing the snake, the horse bolted.
• The actor forgot his line and bolted from the stage.

To escape.intransitive

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

• to bolt a rabbit

To strike or fall suddenly like a bolt.

• His cloudleſs thunder bolted on thir heads.

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

• Lettuce and spinach will bolt as the weather warms up.

To swallow food without chewing it.transitive

• 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.
• ‘Here’s me been rushed into this job before I’ve had time to bolt a hasty dinner.’

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

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

Suddenly; straight; unbendingly.not-comparable

• The soldiers stood bolt upright for inspection.

To sift, especially through a cloth.

To sift the bran and germ from wheat flour.

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

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

• ill schooled in bolted language
• Time and Nature will Bolt out the Truth of Things.

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

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.
• 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.