# bolt bucket

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/bolt-bucket
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

A machine, especially an automobile. Implies that the machine is clunky or unreliable.

## Examples

- My old car is just a rusty bolt bucket.
- I spent all my savings on that bolt bucket, and now the engine will not even start.
- Despite his pride in the vintage vehicle, he eventually admitted it was nothing more than a noisy, unreliable bolt bucket that belonged in a junkyard.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.