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bolt-hole

bolt-hole

8.6
A hole an animal runs into to hide from danger
  • noun
  • /ˈboʊltˌhoʊl/
translation icon : agujero de escape
  • The meerkats hurried to their bolt-holes at the first sign of danger.

Examples

  • To escape from the fox, the hedgehog found its bolt-hole and disappeared inside.

  • "A rat always has a bolt-hole.

    Fiction book (2000)
  • When threatened by a predator, the rabbit quickly dashed into its bolt-hole for safety.

Synonyms

rabbit hole
vsbolt-hole
1 3.4

A hole in the ground where wild rabbits live and hide

is used specifically as an escape route when animals are threatened
bolthole
vsbolt-hole
  • UK
1 8.3

A private place to go to relax or hide from others

is a passage animals use to flee when threatened from their burrows
cozy bolthole
vsbolt-hole
  • US
7.0

A small comfortable place, often private or hidden, where you go to relax and feel safe

is mainly an animal escape passage used when threatened

Antonyms

752 2.0

A thing that catches and holds animals or tricks people

How Safe

refuge
179 3.3
bolt-hole
8.6
hideout
55 4.0
crevice
30 4.2
hole
1.0

Surface Forms

bolt-hole singular
bolt-holes plural

Morphology

bolt-hole = bolt + hole (transparent) = bolt + hole

The meaning is directly derived from 'bolt' (to run away) + 'hole' — a hole used for bolting/escaping.

Etymology

The word bolt-hole comes from the idea of making a quick 'bolt' into a 'hole' — bolt here means 'to run away quickly' and hole means 'a small opening or shelter'. So a bolt-hole is a safe little place an animal or person can run into to escape danger.