bolted arrow
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
A blunt arrow for shooting young rooks with a cross-bow; called "bolting rooks." A gun would not do, and an arrow would mangle the little things too much.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “bolted arrow” mean?
A blunt arrow for shooting young rooks with a cross-bow; called "bolting rooks." A gun would not do, and an arrow would mangle the little things too much.
Is “bolted arrow” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.