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birdbolt. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
birdbolt, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
birdbolt in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
birdbolt you have here. The definition of the word
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birdbolt, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
English
Etymology
From bird + bolt.
Noun
birdbolt (plural birdbolts)
- A short blunt arrow for killing birds without piercing them.
- (figuratively) Anything that smites without penetrating.
c. 1601–1602, William Shakespeare, Twelfth Night, act 1, scene 5, lines 86–88:To be generous, / guiltless and of free disposition, is to take those / things for bird-bolts that you deem cannon-bullets: