Bolt \Bolt\, adv. In the manner of a bolt; suddenly; straight; unbendingly.

[He] came bolt up against the heavy dragoon. --Thackeray.

Bolt upright.
   (a) Perfectly upright; perpendicular; straight up; unbendingly erect. --Addison.
   (b) On the back at full length. [Obs.]

--Chaucer.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
 

Bolt \Bolt\, n. [From Bolt, v. i.]

1. A sudden spring or start; a sudden spring aside; as, the horse made a bolt.

2. A sudden flight, as to escape creditors.

This gentleman was so hopelessly involved that he contemplated a bolt to America -- or anywhere. --Compton Reade.

3. (U. S. Politics) A refusal to support a nomination made by the party with which one has been connected; a breaking away from one's party.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
 

Bolt \Bolt\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Bolted; p. pr. & vb. n. Bolting.]

1. To shoot; to discharge or drive forth.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
 

Bolt \Bolt\, n. [AS. bolt; akin to Icel. bolti, Dan. bolt, D. bout, OHG. bolz, G. bolz, bolzen; of uncertain origin.]

1. A shaft or missile intended to be shot from a crossbow or catapult, esp. a short, stout, blunt-headed arrow; a quarrel; an arrow, or that which resembles an arrow; a dart.

Look that the crossbowmen lack not bolts. --Sir W. Scott.

A fool's bolt is soon shot. --Shak.

2. Lightning; a thunderbolt.

3. A strong pin, of iron or other material, used to fasten or hold something in place, often having a head at one end and screw thread cut upon the other end.

4. A sliding catch, or fastening, as for a door or gate; the portion of a lock which is shot or withdrawn by the action of the key.

5. An iron to fasten the legs of a prisoner; a shackle; a fetter. [Obs.]

Away with him to prison! lay bolts enough upon him. --Shak.

6. A compact package or roll of cloth, as of canvas or silk, often containing about forty yards.

7. A bundle, as of oziers.

Bolt auger, an auger of large size; an auger to make holes for the bolts used by shipwrights.

Bolt and nut, a metallic pin with a head formed upon one end, and a movable piece (the nut) screwed upon a thread cut upon the other end. See B, C, and D, in illust. above.

Note: See Tap bolt, Screw bolt, and Stud bolt.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
 

Bolt \Bolt\ (b[=o]lt; 110), v. i.

1. To start forth like a bolt or arrow; to spring abruptly; to come or go suddenly; to dart; as, to bolt out of the room.

This Puck seems but a dreaming dolt, . . . And oft out of a bush doth bolt. --Drayton.

2. To strike or fall suddenly like a bolt.

His cloudless thunder bolted on their heads. --Milton.

3. To spring suddenly aside, or out of the regular path; as, the horse bolted.

4. (U.S. Politics) To refuse to support a nomination made by a party or a caucus with which one has been connected; to break away from a party.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
 

Bolt \Bolt\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Bolted; p. pr. & vb. n. Bolting.]

[OE. bolten, boulten, OF. buleter, F. bluter, fr. Ll. buletare, buratare, cf. F. bure coarse woolen stuff; fr. L. burrus red. See Borrel, and cf. Bultel.]

1. To sift or separate the coarser from the finer particles of, as bran from flour, by means of a bolter; to separate, assort, refine, or purify by other means.

He now had bolted all the flour. --Spenser.

Ill schooled in bolted language. --Shak.

2. To separate, as if by sifting or bolting; -- with out.

Time and nature will bolt out the truth of things. --L'Estrange.

3. (Law) To discuss or argue privately, and for practice, as cases at law. --Jacob.

To bolt to the bran, to examine thoroughly, so as to separate or discover everything important. --Chaucer.

This bolts the matter fairly to the bran. --Harte.

The report of the committee was examined and sifted and bolted to the bran. --Burke.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
 

Bolt \Bolt\, n. A sieve, esp. a long fine sieve used in milling for bolting flour and meal; a bolter. --B. Jonson.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)