ENGLISH
REFERENCE

bolt to the bran

idiom
Meaning

To examine thoroughly, so as to separate or discover everything important.

Origin

disputed origin

See bolt (“sieve”).

Examples
SIMPLE

You need to bolt to the bran to find the truth.

CONTEXTUAL

The investigators had to bolt to the bran to uncover the hidden errors in the financial report.

COMPLEX

The historian spent years in the archives, determined to bolt to the bran every detail of the forgotten treaty.

Anchors to
Related idioms3entries
  1. 01

    bolt bucket

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

  2. 02

    bolt from the blue

    A complete surprise; something totally unexpected.

  3. 03

    shoot one's bolt

    To use up one's resources, especially a singular one or one not readily restored.

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