bolt-hole
[bolt v.2]
1. = bolting-hole (see bolting vbl. n.2 5).
| 1851 Sternberg Dial. Northampt., Bolt-hole, the hole from which the rabbit makes its escape; or, in the phraseology of the craft, ‘bolts’. 1877 E. Peacock Gloss. Manley, Bolt-hole, (1) the hole by which a rabbit makes its escape when the ferret pursues it. (2) Any unknown hole by which a person makes his way into or out of a house. 1887 Kipling Lett. Marque v. in From Sea to Sea (1900) 49 A figure in saffron came out of a dark arch into the sunlight, almost falling into the arms of one in pink... The pink and saffron figures..disappeared into separate bolt-holes. 1891 Pall Mall Gaz. 4 June 6/2 We left them no bolt-hole,..so every man fought till he was killed. 1924 E. Marsh tr. 42 Fables of La Fontaine 71 [The hare] heard a rustle, And took the hint to bustle Off to his bolt-hole. 1932 H. Simpson Boomerang xii. 306 A girl who had been jilted might choose any bolt-hole to hide her shame. 1967 Listener 30 Nov. 705/3 With all the mental bolt-holes stopped up, a clear look at England around 1930 produced traumatic results. |
2. Coal-mining. A short connecting heading or opening.
| 1839 Ure Dict. Arts 981 Two, three, or even four bolt-holes open into a side of a work, according to its extent. 1860 Eng. & For. Mining Gloss. (ed. 2) 69 Bolt hole, a passage..from the gate-road into a side of work. 1877 Encycl. Brit. VI. 66/1 From the gate road a heading called a bolt-hole is opened. 1963 Gloss. Mining Terms (B.S.I.) ii. 8 Bolt hole. 1. A short connecting passage made for ventilation purposes. |