| E. Cobham Brewer 1810–1897. Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 1898. |
| | | Bolt. | | |
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An arrow, a shaft (Anglo-Saxon, bolta; Danish, bolt; Greek, ballo, to cast; Latin, pello, to drive). A door bolt is a shaft of wood or iron, which may be shot or driven forward to secure a door. A thunderbolt is an hypothetical shaft cast from the elouds; an aerolite. Cupid’s bolt is Cupid’s arrow. | 1 |
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The fool’s bolt is soon spent. A foolish archer shoots all his arrows so heedlessly that he leaves himself no resources in case of need. | 2 |
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I must bolt. Be off like an arrow. | 3 |
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To bolt food. To swallow it quickly without waiting to chew it. | 4 |
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To bolt out the truth. To blurt it out; also To bolt out, to exclude or shut out by bolting the door. | 5 |
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To bolt. To sift, as flour is bolted. This has a different derivation to the above (Low Latin, bult-ella, a boulter, from an Old French word for coarse cloth). | 6 |
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| “I cannot bolt this matter to the bran, |
| As Bradwarden and holy Austin can.” | |
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Dryden’s version of the Cock and Fox. |
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