Advertisement - Continue reading below

Definition of "bolt" []

  • A bar made of wood or metal that slides into a socket and is used to fasten doors and gates. (noun)
  • A metal bar or rod in the mechanism of a lock that is thrown or withdrawn by turning the key. (noun)
  • A fastener consisting of a threaded pin or rod with a head at one end, designed to be inserted through holes in assembled parts and secured by a mated nut that is tightened by applying torque. (noun)
  • A sliding metal bar that positions the cartridge in breechloading rifles, closes the breech, and ejects the spent cartridge. (noun)
  • A similar device in any breech mechanism. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Use "bolt" in a sentence
  • "In the middle of the bolt is a hole, through which they urinate ...."
  • "The Stock fits the metal well and the bolt is the slickest I've ever used."
  • "Relative to acquisitions, we have a very formal process relative to what I call bolt-on acquisitions, which we did won today."