bolthole
bolthole Lexical Profile
bolthole Game Scores & Validity
• noun
British A secluded or secret place where a person can escape to hide, rest, or get away from everyday pressures and duties.
"The author bought a quiet cottage in the Welsh hills to serve as a weekend bolthole away from London."
A hole or burrow into which a wild animal, especially a rabbit or fox, darts for safety when pursued.
"Startled by the barking dog, the rabbit dashed across the meadow and vanished into its bolthole beneath the hedgerow."
A hole drilled or punched into a piece of metal, wood, or stone to receive a fastening bolt.
"The machinist carefully aligned the steel plates to ensure every bolthole matched the blueprint specifications."
Word Origin & Etymology
Coined in the early 20th century from the verb 'bolt' (meaning to dart away suddenly) and 'hole', originally referring to the underground burrow into which a hunted rabbit flees before being applied to human retreats.