1 B1 neutral
To secure something firmly to a surface or to the floor using bolts so it cannot be moved.
"The safety regulations require all heavy machinery to be bolted down to the workshop floor."
separable
bolt down
B1 neutral separable transitive
To fasten something firmly to a surface with bolts; or to eat or drink something very quickly.
In plain English
To fix something tightly to the floor or wall with metal bolts, or to eat food very fast without chewing properly.
What does "bolt down" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B2 idiomatic informal
To eat food very quickly, often without properly chewing it.
"He bolted down his lunch in five minutes and rushed back to his desk."
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To secure something to a surface by driving bolts downward through it.
Actually means
To fix something tightly to the floor or wall with metal bolts, or to eat food very fast without chewing properly.
Usage tip
The 'fasten with bolts' sense is the primary meaning and is common in technical and DIY contexts. The eating sense (eating very quickly) is less frequent for 'bolt down' specifically — 'bolt' alone, or 'wolf down', is more natural for that meaning.
Words that pair with "bolt down"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
machinery shelving equipment food lunch floor
How to conjugate "bolt down"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
bolt down
I/you/we/they
3rd person
bolts down
he/she/it
Past simple
bolted down
yesterday
Past participle
bolted down
have + pp
-ing form
bolting down
continuous
Hear "bolt down" in the wild
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Other ways to say "bolt down"
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