Steven in Wilmington, North Carolina, is curious about the terms hankering and unbolted cornmeal. The noun hankering, meaning “a strong desire for something,” is related to the verb “to hang,” as in “hanging around” in hopes of obtaining something. Unbolted cornmeal is simply unsifted. The verb bolt or boult has long meant “to sift.” Shakespeare used the term metaphorically, describing someone as “ill-schooled in bolted language.” This is part of a complete episode.
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