bolt

bolt

verb

Definition of BOLT

1

to move suddenly and sharply (as in surprise) <I bolted as I read the winning lottery numbers>

Synonyms bolt, jump, startle

Related Words jerk, jolt, twitch; blench, cringe, flinch, quail, recoil, shrink, spook, squinch, wince; bound, leap, spring; react, respond

2

to proceed or move quickly <the cat bolted for the food dish the minute he spied it>

Synonyms barrel, belt, blast, blaze, blow, bolt, bomb [slang], bowl, breeze, bundle, bustle, buzz, cannonball, careen, career, chase, course, crack (on), dash, drive, fly, hare, hasten, hie, highball, hotfoot (it), hump, hurl, hurtle, hustle, jet, jump, motor, nip, pelt, race, ram, rip, rocket, run, rush, rustle, scoot, scurry, scuttle, shoot, speed, step, tear, travel, trot, whirl, whisk, zip, zoom

Related Words beetle, dart, flit, scamper, scud, scuffle; stampede, streak, whiz (or whizz); gallop, jog, sprint; accelerate, quicken, step out; catch up, fast-forward, outpace, outrun, outstrip, overtake; arrow, beeline

Near Antonyms dally, dawdle, dillydally, drag, hang (around or out), lag, linger, loiter, poke, tarry; amble, lumber, plod, saunter, shuffle, stroll; decelerate, slow (down or up)

Antonyms crawl, creep, poke

3

to hasten away from something dangerous or frightening <the rabbit bolted when it saw the fox approaching>

Synonyms bolt, break, bug out, flee, fly, hightail (it), retreat, run away, run off, skedaddle

Related Words abscond, clear out, decamp, elope, escape, get (away), get out, lam, light out, make off, mizzle [chiefly British], scarper [British], scat, scram, skip (out), skirr

Near Antonyms beard, brave, confront, dare, defy, face; abide, dwell, hang around, linger, remain, stay, stick around, tarry

4

to utter with a sudden burst of strong feeling <bolted out the cuss word without thinking>

Synonyms blat, blurt (out), bolt, cry (out), ejaculate

Related Words blunder, leak; bellow, bleat, crow, holler, hoot, howl, roar, shout, whoop, yowl; aah (also ah), ooh; interject

5

to swallow or eat greedily <the way you bolted those hot dogs, it's no wonder you're feeling a little queasy>

Synonyms bolt, cram, devour, glut [archaic], gorge, gormandize, gulp, ingurgitate, inhale, raven, scarf, scoff, slop, wolf

Related Words overeat, pig out, swill

Near Antonyms nibble, peck, pick