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Glite Dictionary
to shoot one's bolt

to shoot one's bolt

8.8
To use up all your energy or chances
  • idiom
  • Informal
translation icon : agotar todas las opciones
  • Negotiators warned that the company had shot its bolt in earlier talks and had little left to offer.

Examples

  • By the final round, the athlete had shot his bolt and simply couldn't keep up with the competition.

  • After working on the project for hours, he realized he had shot his bolt and couldn't continue.

  • Don't shoot your bolt too soon!

  • He has already shot his bolt in this competition.

  • By the time he reached the last mile, the runner realized he had shot his bolt and couldn't push any harder.

  • After spending all her savings on the first two months, she felt she had shot her bolt and couldn't afford any more expenses.

  • After the intense brainstorming session, the team felt they had shot their bolt and needed a break before tackling the next challenge.

Synonyms

to kill oneself
vsto shoot one's bolt
  • Informal
9 8.1

To work too hard and make yourself very tired or sick

focuses on using up all resources in a final effort rather than unhealthy strain
to push it to the limit
vsto shoot one's bolt
  • Informal
1 7.2

Use all your energy and take big risks to test your skill

focuses on using everything without the testing or risk component
to shoot your bolt
vsto shoot one's bolt
  • Informal
1 8.6

To use up all your energy or chances so none remain

is identical in meaning but uses a general third person form
to empty the tank
vsto shoot one's bolt
  • Informal
5.1

Use all your energy in a final effort until you have none left

stresses a single one-off final attempt rather than ongoing effort
to shoot one's load
vsto shoot one's bolt
  • Offensive
9.9

Use all your energy at once and have none left in a rude way

is used in neutral nonvulgar language rather than vulgar speech
to blow one's load
vsto shoot one's bolt
  • Offensive
9.9

Informal and rude way to use up all your energy or resources at once

focuses on a final complete effort rather than wasting early
to give it the gun
vsto shoot one's bolt
  • Informal
9.8

To try very hard and work quickly to finish something

means using up all energy or resources rather than merely applying forceful effort
to break one's back
vsto shoot one's bolt
  • Informal
6.0

To work very hard at something until you are very tired

focuses on using everything in a last attempt rather than simply hard work

Antonyms

to hold back
187 3.2

Stop someone or something from moving forward

to save energy
9 2.5

Use less energy, for example by turning off lights when you leave

How Exhausted

to shoot one's bolt
  • Informal
8.8
to run out of steam
  • Informal
6 4.8
to use up
69 2.7
to expend
50 5.0

Surface Forms

shoot one's bolt infinitive
shooting one's bolt present participle
shoots one's bolt third person singular
shot one's bolt past
shot one's bolt past participle

Morphology

shoot + one + bolt

The phrase uses a metaphorical extension of 'shoot' + 'bolt' (i.e., firing one's single shot) so there is a partial, interpretable link to using up one’s single chance or resources, but that link is not fully transparent. A B1 learner who knows the words might guess a sense related to expending something, but the specific idiomatic meaning and conventional phrasing are not reliably predictable without prior exposure.

Etymology

The idiom shoot one's bolt may come from old crossbows, where a bolt is a short arrow. If you fired your bolt you had no more shots left, so the phrase means 'to use up all one's energy or chances'.