[bot.tom] n [ME botme, fr. OE botm; akin to OHG bodam bottom, L fundus, Gk pythmen] (bef. 12c) 1 a: the underside of something b: a surface (as the seat of a chair) designed to support something resting on it c: the posterior end of the trunk: buttocks, rump
2: the surface on which a body of water lies 3 a: the part of a ship's hull lying below the water b: boat, ship
4. a: the lowest part or place b: the remotest or inmost point c: the lowest or last place in point of precedence "started work at the ~" d: the pants of pajamas--usu. used in pl. e: the last half of an inning of baseball f: the bass or baritone instruments of a band
5: bottomland--usu. used in pl.
6: basis, source 7: capacity (as of a horse) to endure strain 8: a foundation color applied to textile fibers before dyeing -- bot.tomed adj -- at bottom : really, basically
[2]bottom vt (1544) 1: to furnish with a bottom
2: to provide a foundation for
3: to bring to the bottom
4: to get to the bottom of: fathom ~ vi 1: to become based
2: to reach the bottom
3: to reach a low point before rebounding--usu. used with out -- bot.tom.er n [3]bottom adj (1561) 1: of, relating to, or situated at the bottom "~ rock"
2: frequenting the bottom "~ fish"
3: having a quantum characteristic that accounts for the existence and lifetime of upsilon particles and that has a value of zero for most known particles "~ quark"