Definition of bolas Bolas
bo•las
We found 5 definitions of bolas from 5 different sources.
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What does bolas mean?
Wiktionary 
- bolas (Noun)
A throwing weapon made of weights on the ends of interconnected cords, designed to capture animals by entangling their legs.
Webster DictionaryWebster's Unabridged Dictionary 📘
- bolas (n. sing. & pl.)
A kind of missile weapon consisting of one, two, or more balls of stone, iron, or other material, attached to the ends of a leather cord; -- used by the Gauchos of South America, and others, for hurling at and entangling an animal.
Chambers DictionaryChamber's 20th Century Dictionary 📕
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bolas
bō′las, n. missiles used by the South American gauchos, consisting of balls or stones strung together, swung round the head and hurled, usually so as to entangle the legs of an animal running. [Sp.]
Wikipedia 
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Bolas (from Spanish "bola", "ball", also known as "boleadoras") are a throwing weapon made of weights on the ends of interconnected cords, designed to capture animals by entangling their legs. They are used by the gauchos in South America today, but have been found in excavations of pre-Hispanic settlements, especially in Patagonia, where indigenous peoples used them to catch guanaco and ñandu.
Use.
Gauchos use boleadoras to capture running cattle or game. The thrower gives the balls momentum by swinging them and then releases the boleadoras. The weapon is usually used to entangle the animal's legs, but when thrown with enough force might even break the bone.
Design.
There is no uniform design; most bolas have two or three balls, but there are versions of up to 8 or 9 balls. Some bolas have balls of equal weight,others vary the knot and cord. Gauchos use bolas made of leather cords with wooden balls or small leather sacks full of stones in the ends of the cords.
Bolas of three weights are usually designed with two shorter cords with heavier weights, and one longer cord with a light weight. The heavier weights fly at the front parallel to each other, hit either side of the legs, and the lighter weight goes around, wrapping up the legs.
Other unrelated versions include "qilumitautit", the bolas of the Inuit, made of sinew and bone weights and used to capture water birds.
Part of speech
🔤- bolas, noun, plural of bola.
Pronunciation
Word frequency
Sign Language
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