bolo
bolo Lexical Profile
bolo Game Scores & Validity
• noun
North American A type of necktie consisting of a piece of cord or braided leather secured around the neck with an ornamental clasp or slide.
"The rancher wore a silver-tipped bolo with his crisp western shirt."
A large, heavy, single-edged knife of Philippine origin, similar to a machete and used for clearing vegetation or in agriculture.
"Farmers in the province used a sharp bolo to harvest sugarcane and clear thick brush along the trail."
In boxing, a wide, sweeping lower uppercut punch thrown in a semicircular arc.
"The contender surprised his opponent with a quick bolo to the midsection."
• Rhymes for bolo
Word Origin & Etymology
The sense referring to the heavy blade comes from Spanish 'bolo', adopted from Philippine languages (compare Tagalog 'bulò'). The necktie sense is a Mid-20th-century American English shortening of 'bolo tie', likely derived from Spanish 'boleadoras' (weighted throwing cords).