- 1a long, narrow piece of metal that you slide across the inside of a door or window in order to lock it He slid back the bolt on the door.
-
2a piece of metal like a screw without a point that is used with a circle of metal (= a nut) to fasten things together nuts and bolts
- 3bolt of lightning a sudden flash of lightning in the sky, appearing as a line
- 4a short heavy arrow shot from a crossbow
- 5a long piece of cloth wound in a roll Idioms
an event or a piece of news that is sudden and unexpected; a complete surprise Her dismissal came as a bolt from the blue.
to run away very fast, in order to escape
the basic practical details of a subject or an activity
Check pronunciation: bolt