Meaning & use
bolt
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Meanings
nouncountable
A metal pin or rod with a head, used with a nut to fasten parts together.
Grammar: Countable; plural is bolts.
Patterns
- a bolt and nut
- tighten a bolt
- loosen a bolt
The mechanic tightened the bolts on the wheel.
Use a wrench to loosen the bolt.
The bolt and nut hold the two metal plates together.
nouncountable
A sliding bar used to lock a door or window.
Grammar: Countable; often used with 'door' or 'window'.
Patterns
- slide the bolt
- draw the bolt
- door bolt
He slid the bolt across before going to bed.
The old door had a heavy iron bolt.
Make sure the bolt is secure.
nouncountable
A short, heavy arrow fired from a crossbow.
Grammar: Countable; historical or sporting context.
Patterns
- fire a bolt
- crossbow bolt
The crossbow fired a bolt that hit the target.
Medieval soldiers used bolts as ammunition.
He loaded a bolt into the crossbow.
nouncountable
A flash of lightning.
Grammar: Countable; usually in the phrase 'a bolt of lightning'.
Patterns
- a bolt of lightning
A bolt of lightning lit up the sky.
The tree was struck by a bolt of lightning.
We saw a bolt of lightning in the distance.
nounsingularinformal
A sudden dash or run away.
Grammar: Singular; often in 'make a bolt for'.
Patterns
- make a bolt for something
The thief made a bolt for the door.
When the alarm rang, the cat made a bolt for the garden.
He made a bolt for the exit.
verbintransitive
To run away suddenly and quickly, often out of fear or panic.
Grammar: Intransitive; often followed by 'from' or 'out of'.
Patterns
- bolt from something
- bolt out of something
The horse bolted from the stable.
When he saw the dog, he bolted out of the room.
The rabbit bolted when it heard a noise.
Word forms
| plural | bolts |
|---|---|
| third person singular | bolts |
| past tense | bolted |
| past participle | bolted |
| -ing form | bolting |
Common combinations
- bolt and nut
- The bolt and nut secure the shelf to the wall.
- tighten a bolt
- You need to tighten the bolt with a spanner.
- loosen a bolt
- He loosened the bolt to remove the wheel.
- slide the bolt
- She slid the bolt to lock the door.
- bolt of lightning
- A bolt of lightning struck the tree.
- make a bolt for
- The dog made a bolt for the open gate.
Synonyms and how they differ
- screw
- A screw is similar but usually threads directly into material, while a bolt goes through and is secured with a nut.
- dash
- Dash is a synonym for the sudden run sense, but it can also mean a short race or a small amount.
- flash
- Flash can mean a sudden burst of light, but 'bolt' is the specific word for a lightning flash.
Word family
Commonly confused: bolt or nut?
bolt vs nut
A nut is the small metal piece that screws onto a bolt; the bolt is the pin itself.
Practice
Choose the correct word: The door was locked with a heavy iron ______.
Choose one answer.
A bolt is a sliding bar used to lock a door. A screw is a threaded fastener, a nut is used with a bolt, and a nail is hammered in.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “bolt”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.