Adverb She sat bolt upright, staring straight ahead.
Word History
Etymology
Noun (1)
Middle English, from Old English; akin to Old High German bolz crossbow bolt, and perhaps to Lithuanian beldėti to beat
Verb (2)
Middle English bulten, from Anglo-French buleter, of Germanic origin; akin to Middle High German biuteln to sift, from biutel bag, from Old High German būtil
First Known Use
Noun (1)
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1b