Bolt has 22 different meanings across 4 categories:
Noun · Verb · Adverb · Proper Noun
a discharge of lightning accompanied by thunder
"A sudden bolt struck the tree, illuminating the dark sky before the loud thunder rolled down the hill."
a sliding bar in a breech-loading firearm that ejects an empty cartridge and replaces it and closes the breech
"The bolt cycled rapidly as he pulled the trigger, ejecting the spent casing and chambering a fresh round."
a roll of cloth or wallpaper of a definite length
"She bought three bolts of silk to make her new dresses."
a screw that screws into a nut to form a fastener
"The mechanic tightened the bolt into the nut to secure the engine cover."
a sudden abandonment (as from a political party)
"After realizing his policy was flawed, he bolted from the convention before it even began."
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.
"The old miller kept his finest bolt clean to ensure the newly ground wheat flour was perfectly sifted before packaging."
A sieve, especially a long fine sieve used in milling for bolting flour and meal; a bolter.
In plain English: A bolt is a type of screen used to separate materials by size.
"The miller adjusted the bolt to separate the finer particles of wheat."
Usage: Bolt (noun) refers specifically to a type of sieve, often tall and narrow, used to separate granular materials like flour or grain based on size. Think of it as an older term for a sifting device within a mill.
leave suddenly and as if in a hurry
"The listeners bolted when he discussed his strange ideas"
"When she started to tell silly stories, I ran out"
To connect or assemble pieces using a bolt.
"After boiling the beans, she bolted them through a linen cloth to remove any remaining skins."
To sift, especially through a cloth.
In plain English: To bolt means to quickly search through something using a sieve or cloth.
"She bolted flour through a sieve to remove any lumps."
Usage: Bolt (verb) means to quickly move or escape as if fleeing; it can also refer to sifting something like grain through a cloth. Use "bolt" when describing a sudden, rapid movement or the action of separating larger particles from smaller ones.
Suddenly; straight; unbendingly.
"The arrow flew bolt from the bow, striking its target without any curve or delay."
In plain English: Bolt (adv: Suddenly; straight; unbendingly.) Plain English Definition: To bolt means to move or act quickly and directly.
"He bolted from the room when he heard the news."
Usage: Bolt (adv.) means to move suddenly and quickly, like a bolt of lightning-think "He bolted from the room when he heard the news." It can also describe moving in a straight line or acting with unwavering determination, as in, "The runner bolted toward the finish line."
A surname, from nicknames.
"Bolt is a common English surname derived from medieval nicknames for people who moved quickly or were associated with bolts of cloth."
The word "bolt" comes from Old English, originally meaning a heavy projectile used for striking or knocking. Its deep roots trace back to ancient languages where similar terms described the act of hitting or the thunderbolts associated with storms.