nuts and bolts

noun

1
: the working parts or elements
2
: the practical workings of a machine or enterprise as opposed to theoretical considerations or speculative possibilities
nuts-and-bolts adjective

Examples of nuts and bolts in a Sentence

the nuts and bolts of the merger of the two companies have yet to be worked out
Recent Examples on the Web
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But Gallot's more workmanlike prose and often trite observations, faithfully translated from the French by Arielle Aaronson, is better at capturing the nuts and bolts of this institution than its soaring spirit. Heller McAlpin, NPR, 28 Apr. 2025 In an increasingly partisan state defined by left and right, the group delves deep into the nuts and bolts of legislation and strives to give Floridians accurate facts and figures to better understand their government. Ryan Gillespie, The Orlando Sentinel, 17 Apr. 2025 But the stage of gestation, casting, and all those granular nuts and bolts are probably best kept under wraps for the moment. Ollie Barder, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025 Data and forecasting firm S&P Global Mobility reports there are on average 20,000 parts in a vehicle when it is torn down to its nuts and bolts. Michele Luhn, CNBC, 27 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for nuts and bolts

Word History

First Known Use

1947, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of nuts and bolts was in 1947

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Cite this Entry

“Nuts and bolts.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nuts%20and%20bolts. Accessed 20 May. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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