bolt
bolt [bolt bolts bolted bolting] noun, verb, adverb BrE [bəʊlt] NAmE [boʊlt]
noun 
1. a 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.
2. a piece of metal like a screw without a point which is used with a circle of metal (= a ↑nut ) to fasten things together
•nuts and bolts
3. ~ of lightning a sudden flash of ↑lightning in the sky, appearing as a line
4. a short heavy arrow shot from a ↑crossbow
5. a long piece of cloth wound in a roll around a piece of cardboard
more at the nuts and bolts at ↑nut n., have shot your bolt at ↑shot v.
Word Origin:
n. senses 1 to 4 and v. senses 1 to 2 Old English Dutch bout German Bolzen ‘arrow, bolt for a door’ v. senses 3 to 7 Middle English ↑bolt ‘fly like an arrow’ n. sense 5 Middle English ↑bolt ‘metal pin’
Example Bank:
•The pony suddenly made a bolt for freedom.
Idioms: ↑bolt from the blue ▪ ↑make a bolt for it ▪ ↑make a bolt for something ▪ ↑sit bolt upright
verb
1. transitive, intransitive ~ (sth) to fasten sth such as a door or window by sliding a ↑bolt across; to be able to be fastened in this way
•Don't forget to bolt the door.
•The gate bolts on the inside.
2. transitive to fasten things together with a ↑bolt
•~ A to B The vice is bolted to the workbench.
•~ A and B together The various parts of the car are then bolted together.
3. intransitive if an animal, especially a horse, bolts, it suddenly runs away because it is frightened
4. intransitive (+ adv./prep.) (of a person)to run away, especially in order to escape
•When he saw the police arrive, he bolted down an alley.
5. transitive ~ sth (down) to eat sth very quickly
•Don't bolt your food!
6. (NAmE)transitive, intransitive ~ (sth) to stop supporting a particular group or political party
•Many Democrats bolted the party to vote Republican.
7. intransitive (of a plant, especially a vegetable)to grow too quickly and start producing seeds and so become less good to eat
see close, lock, etc. the stable door after the horse has bolted at ↑stable door n.
Verb forms: 
Word Origin:
n. senses 1 to 4 and v. senses 1 to 2 Old English Dutch bout German Bolzen ‘arrow, bolt for a door’ v. senses 3 to 7 Middle English ↑bolt ‘fly like an arrow’ n. sense 5 Middle English ↑bolt ‘metal pin’
Example Bank:
•Make sure that the rails are securely bolted in place.
•The two parts are bolted together.
•The yacht's keel is bolted to the hull.
•Bonnie the mare broke free and bolted.
•Don't forget to bolt the door.
•For a moment I thought about bolting, but there was no escape.
•She bolted through the open door.
•The plane swooped down low and the horses bolted.
•They turned and bolted off down the stairs.
adverb
Word Origin:
n. senses 1 to 4 and v. senses 1 to 2 Old English Dutch bout German Bolzen ‘arrow, bolt for a door’ v. senses 3 to 7 Middle English ↑bolt ‘fly like an arrow’ n. sense 5 Middle English ↑bolt ‘metal pin’
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