WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
bo•lo1
(bō′lō),USA pronunciation n., pl. -los.
bo•lo2 (bō′lō),USA pronunciation n., pl. -los, v., -loed, -lo•ing. [U.S. Mil. Slang.]
n.
v.i.
bo•lo3 (bō′lō),USA pronunciation n.
- a large, heavy, single-edged knife or machete for hacking, used in the Philippines and by the U.S. Army.
- Philippine Spanish; further origin, originally uncertain
- 1900–05
bo•lo2 (bō′lō),USA pronunciation n., pl. -los, v., -loed, -lo•ing. [U.S. Mil. Slang.]
n.
- Militarya soldier who does not meet the minimum standards of marksmanship.
v.i.
- Militaryto fail to meet the minimum standards of marksmanship.
- said to be after Bolo Pascha (died 1918), German agent in France during World War I 1915–20
bo•lo3 (bō′lō),USA pronunciation n.
- ClothingSee bolo tie.
'bolo' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):