bolt

Universal Words noun, verb, adverb 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 circular piece 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 fabric wound in a roll around a piece of cardboard IDIOMS a bolt from the blue an event or a piece of news which is sudden and unexpected; a complete surprise: Her dismissal came as a bolt from the blue. make a bolt for sth