safety bolt
1
4.5
- noun
- The apartment is equipped with a safety bolt that can only be operated from the inside.
Examples
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He slid the safety bolt into place, securing the garden gate against intruders.
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Make sure to install a safety bolt on the door.
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Make sure the safety bolt is locked before you go to bed.
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The safety bolt provides extra security at night.
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The old gate was secured with a safety bolt that kept intruders out.
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Before leaving, she made sure the safety bolt was engaged on the door.
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He installed a safety bolt on the shed to protect his tools from theft.
Synonyms
11
4.6
A strong metal bar that you move with a key or knob to lock a door
2
2.8
A lock on a door that keeps people from opening it from outside
1
4.2
A metal bar you slide to lock and unlock a door or gate
1
5.1
A metal bar you move to lock a door or gate
How Secure
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly predictable from the constituents: 'safety' (security/protection) modifies 'bolt' (a locking bar), so a B1 learner who knows both words will understand it as a bolt used for safety/security. This noun+noun compound follows a common compositional pattern found across languages, making the meaning transparent without prior exposure.
Etymology
Safety bolt comes from a simple picture: a metal bolt you slide across a door from the inside so it cannot be opened 'from outside'. That's why a safety bolt gives 'extra security' and is a lock you can only operate 'from inside'.