I. bot ‧ tle 1 S1 W2 /ˈbɒtl $ ˈbɑːtl/ BrE AmE noun
[ Date: 1300-1400 ; Language: Old French ; Origin: bouteille , from Medieval Latin butticula , from Late Latin buttis 'wooden container for liquid' ]
1 . [countable] a container with a narrow top for keeping liquids in, usually made of plastic or glass:
an empty bottle
a wine/milk/beer etc bottle
bottle of
a bottle of champagne
2 . [countable] ( also bottleful ) the amount of liquid that a bottle contains:
Between us, we drank three bottles of wine.
3 . [countable] a container for babies to drink from, with a rubber part on top that they suck, or the milk contained in this bottle:
My first baby just wouldn’t take a bottle at all.
4 . the bottle alcoholic drink – used when talking about the problems drinking can cause:
Peter let the bottle ruin his life.
hit the bottle (=regularly drink too much)
She was under a lot of stress, and started hitting the bottle.
be on the bottle British English (=be drinking a lot of alcohol regularly)
5 . [uncountable] British English informal courage to do something that is dangerous or unpleasant SYN nerve :
I never thought she’d have the bottle to do it!
6 . bring a bottle British English , bring your own bottle American English used when you invite someone to an informal party, to tell them that they should bring their own bottle of alcoholic drink
⇨ ↑ hot-water bottle
II. bottle 2 BrE AmE verb [transitive]
1 . to put a liquid, especially wine or beer, into a bottle after you have made it:
The whisky is bottled here before being sent abroad.
2 . British English to put vegetables or fruit into special glass containers in order to preserve them SYN can American English
bottle out ( also bottle it ) phrasal verb
British English informal to suddenly decide not to do something because you are frightened SYN cop out :
‘Did you tell him?’ ‘No, I bottled out at the last minute.’
bottle something ↔ up phrasal verb
1 . to deliberately not allow yourself to show a strong feeling or emotion:
It is far better to cry than to bottle up your feelings.
2 . to cause problems by delaying something:
The bill has been bottled up in Congress.