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Meaning & use

bolt of lightning

noun·Everyday

Last updated

UK/ˌbəʊlt əv ˈlaɪtnɪŋ/
US/ˌboʊlt əv ˈlaɪtnɪŋ/

Meanings

  1. nouncountable

    A single flash of electricity that travels between a storm cloud and the ground or another cloud.

    Grammar: Countable: a bolt of lightning, two bolts of lightning.

    Patterns

    • struck by a bolt of lightning
    • a bolt of lightning hits something

    A bolt of lightning split the old oak in two.

    We counted the seconds between the bolt of lightning and the thunder.

    The hikers watched a bolt of lightning strike the far ridge.

  2. nouncountablefigurative

    Something extremely fast, sudden or surprising, as in a moment of insight or a quick movement.

    Grammar: Used in comparisons: quick as a bolt of lightning.

    Patterns

    • like a bolt of lightning
    • a bolt of lightning from the blue

    The idea hit her like a bolt of lightning.

    The striker went past the defenders like a bolt of lightning.

    The news came like a bolt of lightning on an ordinary Tuesday.

Word forms

pluralbolts of lightning

Common combinations

struck by a bolt of lightning
The tower was struck by a bolt of lightning.
a bolt of lightning flashes
A bolt of lightning flashed across the sky.
like a bolt of lightning
He ran like a bolt of lightning.
a bolt of lightning from a clear sky
The announcement was a bolt of lightning from a clear sky.

Synonyms and how they differ

lightning strike
It focuses on the strike hitting something and is common in news reports.
flash of lightning
It stresses the brightness of the light rather than the electrical discharge itself.
thunderbolt
It is more dramatic and literary, and is often used figuratively for a shock.

Word family

lightning noun
the flash of light from an electrical discharge in a storm
bolt noun
a sudden dash or flash
thunder noun
the loud sound that follows lightning
lightning rod noun
a metal rod that carries lightning safely to the ground

Commonly confused: bolt of lightning or lightening?

bolt of lightning vs lightening

Lightening means making something lighter or less heavy, while lightning is the flash in a storm.

Practice

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