# colt

/ˈkoʊɫt/ (US) · /kˈəʊlt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/colt
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. young horse

noun · CEFR B2

a young male horse, usually under four years old.

For teachers: a young male horse, typically under the age of four; the term is specific to sex and age.

- The farmer watched the young colt running across the field with its mother.
- The stable manager decided to separate the yearling colt from the fillies to prevent any early aggression during feeding times.

### 2. inexperienced person

noun · CEFR C1 · Literary

a young or inexperienced person, especially in a sport or a job.

For teachers: a youthful or inexperienced person; a novice. Often used in sports contexts to describe junior players.

- The team signed a talented young colt who had never played in the major leagues.
- Despite being a mere colt in the world of international diplomacy, the young attaché handled the negotiations with surprising maturity.

### 3. a type of gun

noun · CEFR C1 · American English

a famous brand of handgun, often seen in old Western movies.

For teachers: a revolver or pistol manufactured by Colt's Manufacturing Company, historically significant in the American West.

- The cowboy carried a heavy Colt in a leather holster on his hip.
- The museum's collection includes several ivory-handled Colts that were reportedly used during the frontier era.

### 4. rope for punishment

noun · CEFR C2 · Archaic · Technical

a short piece of rope used in the past to punish sailors.

For teachers: a short length of knotted rope formerly used by petty officers for summary corporal punishment.

- The sailor feared the officer would use the colt if he didn't work faster.
- Historical naval records indicate that the use of the colt was a common, if brutal, method of maintaining discipline among the crew.

### 5. to play or frolic

verb · CEFR C2 · Archaic · Literary

to run and play in a lively way, like a young horse.

For teachers: to frisk, frolic, or behave in a wanton or lively manner reminiscent of a young horse.

- The children were colting about in the garden during the summer party.
- The poet described the youth of the village colting through the meadows without a care for the coming winter.

## Examples

- The young colt ran across the field with its mother.
- The stable owner decided to enter the promising colt into the local race for three-year-olds.
- While the filly showed more immediate speed, the trainer believed the colt possessed the physical frame and temperament required for longer, more demanding endurance trials.

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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.