2 N‑COUNT The bolero is a traditional Spanish dance. □ They danced a romantic bolero together.
Bo|liv|ian /bəl I viən/ (Bolivians ) ADJ Bolivian means belonging or relating to Bolivia or its people. ● N‑COUNT A Bolivian is a person who comes from Bolivia.
bol|lard /bɒ lɑː r d/ (bollards )
1 N‑COUNT Bollards are short thick concrete posts that are used to prevent cars from going on to someone's land or on to part of a road. [BRIT ]
2 N‑COUNT Bollards are strong wooden or metal posts on the side of a river or harbour. Boats are tied to them.
bol|locks /bɒ ləks/
1 EXCLAM ; N‑UNCOUNT Bollocks is used by some people to express disagreement, dislike, or annoyance. [BRIT , INFORMAL , RUDE , FEELINGS ]
2 N‑PLURAL A man's bollocks are his testicles. [BRIT , INFORMAL , RUDE ]
Bol|she|vik /bɒ lʃ I v I k/ (Bolsheviks )
1 ADJ Bolshevik is used to describe the political system and ideas that Lenin and his supporters introduced in Russia after the Russian Revolution of 1917. □ Seventy-four years after the Bolshevik Revolution, the Soviet era ended. □ …anti-Bolshevik forces.
2 N‑COUNT A Bolshevik was a person who supported Lenin and his political ideas.
Bol|she|vism /bɒ lʃ I v I zəm/ N‑UNCOUNT Bolshevism is the political system and ideas that Lenin and his supporters introduced in Russia after the Russian Revolution of 1917.
bol|shy /bɒ lʃi/ also bolshie ADJ If you say that someone is bolshy , you mean that they easily get angry and often do not do what other people want them to do. [BRIT , INFORMAL , DISAPPROVAL ] □ Carol is bolshy at not getting a promotion.
bol|ster /boʊ lstə r / (bolsters , bolstering , bolstered )
1 VERB If you bolster something such as someone's confidence or courage, you increase it. □ [V n] Hopes of an early cut in interest rates bolstered confidence.
2 VERB If someone tries to bolster their position in a situation, they try to strengthen it. □ [V n] Britain is free to adopt policies to bolster its economy. ● PHRASAL VERB Bolster up means the same as bolster . □ [V P n] …an aid programme to bolster up their troubled economy. [Also V n P ]
3 N‑COUNT A bolster is a firm pillow shaped like a long tube which is sometimes put across a bed under the ordinary pillows.
▸ bolster up → see bolster 2
bolt /boʊ lt/ (bolts , bolting , bolted )
1 N‑COUNT A bolt is a long metal object which screws into a nut and is used to fasten things together.
2 VERB When you bolt one thing to another, you fasten them firmly together, using a bolt. □ [V n + to ] The safety belt is easy to fit as there's no need to bolt it to seat belt anchorage points. □ [V n with together/on ] Bolt the components together. □ [V -ed] …a wooden bench which was bolted to the floor.
3 N‑COUNT A bolt on a door or window is a metal bar that you can slide across in order to fasten the door or window. □ I heard the sound of a bolt being slowly and reluctantly slid open.
4 VERB When you bolt a door or window, you slide the bolt across to fasten it. □ [V n] He reminded her that he would have to lock and bolt the kitchen door after her. □ [V -ed] …the heavy bolted doors .
5 VERB If a person or animal bolts , they suddenly start to run very fast, often because something has frightened them. □ [V ] The horse bolted when a gun went off. □ [V prep/adv] I made some excuse and bolted for the exit.
6 VERB If you bolt your food, you eat it so quickly that you hardly chew it or taste it. □ [V n] Being under stress can cause you to miss meals, eat on the move, or bolt your food. ● PHRASAL VERB Bolt down means the same as bolt . □ [V P n] Back then I could bolt down three or four burgers and a pile of French fries. [Also V n P ]
7 N‑COUNT A bolt of lightning is a flash of lightning that is seen as a white line in the sky. □ [+ of ] Suddenly a bolt of lightning crackled through the sky.
8 PHRASE If someone is sitting or standing bolt upright , they are sitting or standing very straight. □ When I pushed his door open, Trevor was sitting bolt upright in bed.
9 nuts and bolts → see nut
▸ bolt down → see bolt 6
bo lt-hole (bolt-holes ) also bolthole N‑COUNT If you say that someone has a bolt-hole to go to, you mean that there is somewhere that they can go when they want to get away from people that they know. [BRIT ] □ The hotel is an ideal bolt-hole for Londoners.
bo lt-on ADJ [ADJ n] Bolt-on buys are purchases of other companies that a company makes in order to add them to its existing business. [BUSINESS ] □ Mr Hand said the company would make further bolt-on acquisitions in the U.S…
bomb ◆◆◇ /bɒ m/ (bombs , bombing , bombed )
1 N‑COUNT A bomb is a device which explodes and damages or destroys a large area. □ Bombs went off at two London train stations. □ It's not known who planted the bomb. □ Most of the bombs fell in the south. □ There were two bomb explosions in the city overnight.
2 N‑SING Nuclear weapons are sometimes referred to as the bomb . □ They are generally thought to have the bomb.
3 VERB When people bomb a place, they attack it with bombs. □ [V n] Airforce jets bombed the airport. ● bomb|ing (bombings ) N‑VAR □ [+ of ] Aerial bombing of rebel positions is continuing. □ There has been a series of car bombings.