What does “bolt” mean?
- 1
verbto suddenly run away very fast, usually from fear
The horse bolted when it heard the gunshot.
- 2
nouna metal bar that slides across to lock a door or window
She slid the bolt across the door.
- 3
verbto eat food very quickly
He bolted his lunch and ran back to work.
Bolt at a glance
- Part of speech
- verb & noun
- CEFR level
- C1 (advanced)
- Pronunciation
- /boʊlt/ · BOHLT
How to use “bolt” correctly
“Sit bolt upright” means sit very straight suddenly. “A bolt from the blue” is a complete surprise.
Common phrases with “bolt”
- bolt upright
- a bolt of lightning
- a bolt from the blue
- nuts and bolts
Idioms with “bolt”
- A bolt from the blue: Something completely unexpected and sudden, often surprising news.
“bolt” is on these word lists
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