bolted
bolted — adverb
1. with the back held very straight and stiff, usually because of shock, fear, or a
with the back held very straight and stiff, usually because of shock, fear, or a wish to sit formally
When the fire alarm went off, Adina sat bolt upright in bed at once.
collocation: sit bolt upright
The children sat bolt upright on their chairs while the head teacher spoke.
posture verb + bolt upright
Ezra stood bolt upright when the judge entered the courtroom.
Nora remained bolt upright through the whole eight-hour flight.
- slouched
describes a relaxed, bent posture
文法句型
bolt upright + verb of posture
用法筆記
Almost always paired with the phrase "bolt upright" — the word "bolt" alone does not carry this adverbial meaning in modern English.
常見錯誤
2. in a straight line without bending or turning to either side
in a straight line without bending or turning to either side
The path ran bolt straight across the meadow to the old stone bridge.
bolt + straight (direction adverb, literary use)
Tamás drove bolt straight through the village without stopping once.
The kite flew bolt upwards into the clear blue morning sky.
The road ran bolt straight through the forest without turning at all.
文法句型
bolt + direction adverb
用法筆記
This sense is now considered literary or archaic. In modern everyday English, 'straight' or 'directly' replace it except in the fixed phrase 'bolt upright.'
bolted — noun
1. a metal rod you slide by hand to keep an entrance or an opening shut from inside
a metal rod you slide by hand to keep an entrance or an opening shut from inside a room or building
Anjali slid the bolt across before she went to bed at night.
collocation: slide the bolt across
The old garden shed had a rusty iron bolt that was hard to move.
bolt modified by material (iron/steel/brass)
Michael pushed the heavy bolt open and stepped into the yard.
Every window on the ground floor had a bolt fitted the year before.
文法句型
slide + the + bolt
push + the + bolt
用法筆記
A door bolt differs from a key-operated lock: a bolt is operated by hand and does not require a key.
常見錯誤
2. a threaded metal fastener with a flat end that goes through holes in two parts a
a threaded metal fastener with a flat end that goes through holes in two parts and is held in place by screwing a nut onto the opposite side
Michael tightened the bolt with a wrench until the shelf felt steady.
collocation: tighten + a + bolt
The mechanic replaced the rusted bolt that held the engine cover down.
Each steel bolt was secured with a matching nut to hold the beam in place.
Linh found a loose bolt under the kitchen table and screwed it back on.
文法句型
bolt + and + nut
tighten + a + bolt
用法筆記
A bolt is distinguished from a screw by being paired with a nut. Screws cut their own threads into the material; bolts pass through and are secured with a nut on the opposite side.
3. a sudden bright line of light in the sky during a storm, caused by electricity p
a sudden bright line of light in the sky during a storm, caused by electricity passing between clouds or between a cloud and the ground
A bright bolt of lightning split the dark sky above the mountain.
bolt + of + lightning
Camila counted the seconds between the lightning bolt and the thunderclap.
The photograph showed a purple bolt striking a lone oak in the field.
A thunderbolt lit up the whole valley for just a split second.
- lightning flash
more general; can describe any appearance of lightning, not necessarily a single visible line
- thunderbolt
emphasises the thunder that follows the flash
文法句型
bolt + of + lightning
用法筆記
"Bolt of lightning" is the most common pattern. "Thunderbolt" is a compound noun for the same phenomenon but implies thunder accompanies the flash.
常見錯誤
4. a long roll of cloth, fabric, or wallpaper wrapped around a tube or board, ready
a long roll of cloth, fabric, or wallpaper wrapped around a tube or board, ready for sale or cutting
The tailor ordered a bolt of cream-coloured silk for the wedding dresses.
bolt + of + [fabric]
Linh carried a heavy bolt of cotton to the table and unrolled it carefully.
The shop sold wallpaper by the bolt, enough to cover an entire room.
Three bolts of brightly patterned fabric leaned against the warehouse wall.
文法句型
bolt + of + [fabric/paper]
用法筆記
The exact length of a bolt varies by material — a standard bolt of fabric is about 30–40 metres, while wallpaper bolts typically cover about 5 square metres.
5. a short, heavy arrow with a blunt or pointed tip, designed to be fired from a cr
a short, heavy arrow with a blunt or pointed tip, designed to be fired from a crossbow
The hunter loaded a steel-tipped bolt into the crossbow and took careful aim.
steel-tipped + bolt
Medieval soldiers carried dozens of bolts in a leather quiver at their side.
The crossbow bolt flew silently through the air and hit the wooden target.
Obi examined the hunting bolt and noticed the tip was sharp and heavy.
文法句型
crossbow + bolt
用法筆記
A crossbow bolt is shorter and heavier than a longbow arrow. In modern contexts, this sense appears mainly in historical writing, fantasy fiction, or hunting magazines.
常見錯誤
6. a sudden rush or dash away from a place, especially to get free or reach safety
a sudden rush or dash away from a place, especially to get free or reach safety
The cat made a bolt for the open door when no one was watching.
make a bolt for + [place]
When the gate swung open, the horse made a bolt towards the field.
At the sound of the fire alarm, there was a sudden bolt for the exit.
Sora's dog made a bolt across the park after a grey squirrel.
文法句型
make a bolt for + [place]
用法筆記
Almost always appears in the phrase 'make a bolt for' followed by a destination. The verb 'make' carries the action; 'bolt' is the object noun.
常見錯誤
bolted — verb
- boltedpresent simple I / you / we / they
- bolteds3rd person singular
- bolteding-ing form
- boltededpast simple
1. to run away suddenly and fast, usually because of fear or to get free from somet
to run away suddenly and fast, usually because of fear or to get free from something
The horse bolted when a branch snapped loudly under its hoof.
animal subject + bolted (frightened reaction)
Rania's cat bolted under the sofa the moment the doorbell rang.
bolted + [preposition phrase]
The deer bolted across the field when it smelled the approaching hunter.
As soon as the cage door opened, the bird bolted out into the trees.
The children bolted from the classroom when the lunch bell rang.
文法句型
bolt + [direction/preposition]
用法筆記
Frequently used for animals (horses, cats, deer) that flee in panic. When used for people, it suggests sudden, unplanned flight rather than a calm departure.
常見錯誤
2. to eat a meal or a portion of food very quickly, without pausing or chewing prop
to eat a meal or a portion of food very quickly, without pausing or chewing properly
Daniel bolted down his breakfast and ran to catch the school bus.
bolt down + [food]
Sora bolted his lunch in five minutes between back-to-back meetings.
bolt + [food] + in [time]
The soldiers bolted their dinner before marching out at three in the morning.
Nora bolted a sandwich on the train platform before catching her connection.
- gobble (up)
more vivid and slightly informal; suggests eating noisily or greedily
- wolf (down)
very informal; suggests eating like a hungry animal
- savour
to eat slowly and enjoy every bite
文法句型
bolt + down + food
bolt + food
用法筆記
Commonly appears as the phrasal verb 'bolt down' ('Tamás bolted down a bowl of noodles'). The object is the food itself ('bolt your dinner'), not the person eating. In modern informal English, 'bolt down' is the most natural form; 'bolt' alone (without 'down') is rarer but still correct.
常見錯誤
❌ 'She bolted her dinner down in a rush.' (acceptable) vs. 'She bolted down her dinner.' — both are correct in informal English, but the phrasal-verb form 'bolt down' is more common in conversation.
3. to close and secure a door, window, or gate by sliding a metal bar across into i
to close and secure a door, window, or gate by sliding a metal bar across into its holder
Rania bolted the front door from the inside before going to sleep.
bolted + [door] + from the inside
The shopkeeper bolted the heavy steel door at five o'clock sharp.
Make sure you bolt the kitchen window before you leave the house.
Adina bolted the garden gate so the dog could not get out.
文法句型
bolt + [door/window/gate]
用法筆記
Using a bolt is different from using a key lock — you slide the bolt by hand inside the room, so it can only be operated from one side.
常見錯誤
4. to attach or fix one object firmly to another using bolts and nuts, so that the
to attach or fix one object firmly to another using bolts and nuts, so that the joint is strong and secure
The carpenter bolted the bookshelf to the wall so it would not tip over.
bolted + [object] + to + [surface]
Camila bolted the metal brackets onto the wooden frame with a power drill.
The steel beams were bolted together to form the roof structure.
Obi bolted the spare wheel securely under the rear of the jeep.
文法句型
bolt + [object] + to + [surface]
be bolted + [place]
用法筆記
Frequently used in the passive voice ('is bolted to, was bolted together') in technical or instructional writing. The agent is often omitted.