bolt-hole

American  

[bohlt-hohl] / ˈboʊltˌhoʊl /

noun

1. a hole in the ground, protected opening in bushes, etc., into which an animal can flee when pursued or frightened.

2. a place or avenue of escape or refuge.

   The remote mountain village was a safe bolt-hole for refugees during the war.

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bolt hole British  

noun

1. a place of escape from danger

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Etymology

Origin of bolt-hole

First recorded in 1830–40

Example Sentences

One of the first, exclusive members-only social clubs, Soho House debuted in London in 1995 and quickly became the bolt-hole of choice for celebrities and the deep-pocketed.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 28, 2026

The capsule is believed to have fallen out of the sensor, through the bolt-hole, onto the surface of the truck, and bounced off into the road.

From New York Times • Jan. 28, 2023

The quiet fishing village seemed a perfect bolt-hole in the second autumn of the pandemic.

From Washington Post • Nov. 18, 2021

Massimo went off with Mandy to her family bolt-hole in the Caribbean, Billy held a dinner party which was a qualified success.

From The New Yorker • May 18, 2015

I’d been imagining myself frowning at the crowd from our usual bolt-hole and worrying over whether I’d do well enough in the tournament to impress one of the royal family into granting me knighthood.

From "The Cruel Prince" by Holly Black