I. ˈbäd. ə l, ˈbät ə l noun
( -s )
Usage: often attributive
Etymology: Middle English botel, from Middle French boteille, bouteille, from Medieval Latin butticula, diminutive of Late Latin buttis cask — more at butt (cask)
1.
a. : a rigid or semirigid container made typically of glass or plastic, having a round and comparatively narrow neck or mouth that is usually closed with a plug, screw top, or cap, and having no handle — contrasted with jar, jug
b. : a nonrigid container resembling a bag, made of skin, and usually closed by tying at one end
nomads storing wine in goatskin bottles
c. : the quantity held by a bottle
drank a bottle of wine
2.
a. : intoxicating drinks : liquor
fond of the bottle
b. : liquid food usually consisting of milk and supplements that is fed from a bottle (as to an infant) in place of mother's milk
3. : a metal container for holding gas
II. transitive verb
( bottled ; bottled ; bottling -d. ə liŋ, -t( ə )liŋ ; bottles )
1.
a. : to put into a bottle
bottling the wine
b. Britain : to preserve (as fruit) by canning in glass jars : can
she helped to bottle raspberries
2.
a. : to confine as if in a bottle : check , restrain — usually used with up
bottling up the anger they felt
b. : to put or keep in a position or situation that makes escape or free activity impossible : corner — usually used with up
they successfully bottled up the enemy troops in the mountains
III. noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English botel, from Middle French, diminutive of bote bundle, from Middle Dutch bōte bundle of flax; akin to Middle Dutch bōten to beat, Old High German bōzan — more at beat
dialect Britain : a bundle usually of straw or hay
IV. noun
Etymology: probably back-formation from British slang no bottle useless, worthless
slang Britain : mettle : courage