A small hidden opening or passage that provides an escape route, or a secluded place where someone can retreat and hide.
Compound of 'bolt' (to flee rapidly) and 'hole' (opening), originating in English in the early 20th century. The term combines the idea of bolting (running away suddenly) with a physical hole or passage used for escape, creating a compound that describes both the action and the place.
Boltholes were particularly important during World War II when resistance fighters and people escaping persecution needed secret exits from buildings—some of the most famous ones are hidden in London townhouses and farmhouses across occupied Europe. The word perfectly captures how language evolves to name solutions to specific historical crises.
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