Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

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.

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.

Bolt \Bolt\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Bolted}; p. pr. & vb. n.
   {Bolting}.]
   1. To shoot; to discharge or drive forth.

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      portion of a lock which is shot or withdrawn by the action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}.

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.

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.

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

Source : WordNet®

bolt
     n 1: a discharge of lightning accompanied by thunder [syn: {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
        [syn: {deadbolt}]
     4: the act of moving with great haste; "he made a dash for the
        door" [syn: {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)

bolt
     adv 1: in a rigid manner; "the body was rigidly erect"; "ge sat
            bolt upright" [syn: {rigidly}, {stiffly}]
     2: directly; "he ran bang into the pole"; "ran slap into her"
        [syn: {bang}, {slap}, {slapdash}, {smack}]
     v 1: move or jump suddenly; "She bolted from her seat"
     2: secure or lock with a bolt; "bolt the door" [ant: {unbolt}]
     3: swallow hastily
     4: run away; usually includes taking something or somebody
        along [syn: {abscond}, {absquatulate}, {decamp}, {run off},
         {go off}]
     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 ran out" [syn: {run off}, {run out},
         {bolt out}, {beetle off}]
     6: eat hastily without proper chewing; "Don't bolt your food!"
        [syn: {gobble}]
     7: make or roll into bolts; "bolt fabric"