▪ I. † ˈbird-bolt Obs.
Also 6–7 burbolt, 7 birdboult.
[f. bird n. + bolt.]
A kind of blunt-headed arrow used for shooting birds.
| c 1440 Promp. Parv. 50 Brydbolt or burdebolt, epitilium. a 1553 Udall Royster D. (1869) 43 Mery. He hath in his head. Custance. As much braine as a burbolt. 1601 Shakes. Twel. N. i. v. 100 To take those things for Bird-bolts, that you deeme Cannon bullets. 1659 in Burton Diary (1828) III. 541 You can never make a bird-bolt of a pig's tail. 1865 Tylor Early Hist. Man. viii. 209 The wooden headed bird-bolts of the Middle Ages. |
b. attrib., as in birdbolt-shot.
| 1553–87 Foxe A. & M. (1596) 1887/1 Only one, which was a byrdbolt shot off. 1626 Bacon Sylva §249 Some Bird-bolt shot, or more, from the River of Seane. |
▪ II. bird-bolt
variant of burbot n.