sb. pl.; also used as a sing., with pl. bolases. [Sp. (and Pg.): pl. of bola ball; used in S. America in sense given.] A missile, used by the Patagonians and other S. American tribes, consisting of two or more balls or stones connected together by strong cord; these are swung round the head and discharged at the animal to be captured, so as to wind round and entangle it.
1843. Carlyle, Misc. (1857), IV. 270. Flourishing their nooses and bolases.
1860. Gosse, Rom. Nat. Hist., 201. The Guachos are able to entangle them [birds] with the bolas or weighted cord.
1865. Lubbock, Preh. Times, 430. The weapons which are most characteristic of the Patagonians … are the bolas.
1874. Boutell, Arms & Arm., vi. 87. The Patagonians of Southern South America have the Bola and the Lasso.
