Definition

Noun: * A tool for cutting bolts and similar hard metal fasteners: A bolt cutter is a heavy-duty, hand-held tool designed to cut through bolts, chains, padlock shackles, wire mesh, and other hardened steel materials. It uses compound leverage from its long handles to generate a powerful cutting force through its hardened steel blades.

Usage

Bolt cutters are used to cut through thick, hard metal objects that cannot be cut with standard pliers or wire cutters. They are common in construction, demolition, locksmithing, rescue operations, and metalworking.

Examples

• The firefighter used a bolt cutter to snap the chain on the gate during the emergency.
• You'll need a large bolt cutter to sever that thick steel padlock.
• The hardware store sells bolt cutters in several different sizes, measured by the length of the handles.

Advanced Usage

• "A pair of bolt cutters": This is a common phrasing, treating the tool as a single unit composed of two joined parts, similar to "a pair of scissors" or "a pair of pliers."
  • He grabbed a pair of bolt cutters from his truck to deal with the fence.

Variants and Related Words

• Bolt-cutting (adj): Describing an action or a tool's purpose.
  • The bolt-cutting operation was quick and efficient.
• Cutter: A more general term for any cutting tool.
• Shear: A tool or action that cuts by applying opposed blades, similar in mechanical principle.

Synonyms

• Chain cutter
• Heavy-duty cutter
• Metal shear (in a general sense)

Notes

• The term is a compound noun ("bolt" + "cutter"). Its primary and only standard meaning refers to the specific tool described.
• It is not typically used as a phrasal verb or in idiomatic expressions. The action is described as "to cut (something) with a bolt cutter" or simply "to bolt-cut."

Noun

1. an implement for cutting bolts