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1. A discharge of lightning accompanied by thunder
   - thunderbolt, bolt of lightning
    
2. A sliding bar in a breech-loading firearm that ejects an empty cartridge and replaces it and closes the breech
    
3. The part of a lock that is engaged or withdrawn with a key
   - deadbolt
    
4. The act of moving with great haste
   "he made a bolt for the door";
   - dash
    
5. A roll of cloth or wallpaper of a definite length
    
6. A screw that screws into a nut to form a fastener
    
7. A sudden abandonment (as from a political party)

1. Move or jump suddenly
   "She bolted from her seat"
    
2. Secure or lock with a bolt
   "bolt the door"
    
3. Swallow hastily
    
4. Run away; usually includes taking something or somebody along
   "the accountant bolted with the cash from the safe";
   - abscond, absquatulate [N. Amer], decamp, run off, go off, make off, make away
    
5. 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 bolted out";
   - run off, run out, bolt out, beetle off
    
6. Eat hastily without proper chewing
   "Don't bolt your food!";
   - gobble
    
7. Make or roll into bolts
   "bolt fabric"

1. In a rigid manner
   "he sat bolt upright";
   - rigidly, stiffly
    
2. Directly
   - bang, slap, slapdash, smack

Derived forms: bolted, bolts, bolting

Type of: abandonment, bar, cut and run, desertion, eat, flee, fly, forsaking, furl, get down, go away, go forth, haste, hurry, leave, lightning, lock, move, roll, roll up, rush, rushing, screw, swallow, take flight

Antonym: unbolt

Part of: lock, nut and bolt, rifle

Encyclopedia: Bolt, West Virginia