bolo

[ boh-loh ]

See synonyms for bolo on Thesaurus.com

noun,plural bo·los.

a large, heavy, single-edged knife or machete for hacking, used in the Philippines and by the U.S. Army.

Origin of bolo

First recorded in 1900–05; from Philippine Spanish; further origin uncertain

Other definitions for bolo (2 of 4)

bolo²

[ boh-loh ]

noun,plural bo·los.

a soldier who does not meet the minimum standards of marksmanship.
a clumsy or incompetent soldier.

verb (used without object),bo·loed, bo·lo·ing.

to fail to meet the minimum standards of marksmanship.

Origin of bolo

First recorded in 1915–20; said to be after Bolo Pascha (died 1918), German agent in France during World War I

Other definitions for bolo (3 of 4)

bolo³

[ boh-loh ]

noun

bolo tie.

Other definitions for BOLO (4 of 4)

BOLO

[ boh-loh ]

abbreviation, noun

be on the lookout: an instruction or warning to law enforcement personnel, or sometimes to the general public, to be watchful for the appearance of a criminal suspect or criminal activity: The police issued a BOLO at 2:14 pm, just moments after the robbery was reported.

Origin of BOLO

⁴

First recorded in 1975–80

How to use bolo in a sentence

And of course, one would like to know if any BOLOs were issued for new labor groups.
Why Are So Many New Labor Groups Forming? | Megan McArdle | June 12, 2013 | THE DAILY BEAST
Even the rails of the road have been carried away by the Moros to be made into bolos and krises.
A Woman's Journey through the Philippines | Florence Kimball Russel
Diabolus dicitur a dia, quod est duo, et bolos morsus; quasi dupliciter mordens; quia ldit hominem in corpore et anima.
Notes and Queries, Number 71, March 8, 1851 | Various
According to her description, the bolos are long and thin, straight on one side and curved on the other.
The Manbos of Mindano | John M. Garvan
When the lance head has a socket it is attached to the shaft with a resinous substance similar to that used for bolos.
The Manbos of Mindano | John M. Garvan

His companions howled assent and clutching their bolos, half rose as if to begin a massacre.
The Manbos of Mindano | John M. Garvan

British Dictionary definitions for bolo

bolo

/ (ˈbəʊləʊ) /

nounplural -los

a large single-edged knife, originating in the Philippines

Origin of bolo

Philippine Spanish, probably from a native word

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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