n. & v.
--n.
1. a container, usu. of glass or plastic and with a narrow neck, for storing liquid.
2 the amount that will fill a bottle.
3 a baby's feeding-bottle.
4 hot-water bottle.
5 a metal cylinder for liquefied gas.
6 Brit. sl. courage, confidence.
--v.tr.
1. put into bottles or jars.
2 preserve (fruit etc.) in jars.
3 (foll. by up) a conceal or restrain for a time (esp. a feeling). b keep (an enemy force etc.) contained or entrapped.
4 (as bottled adj.) sl. drunk.
Phrases and idioms:
bottle bank a place where used bottles may be deposited for recycling. bottle-brush
1. a cylindrical brush for cleaning inside bottles.
2 any of various plants with a flower of this shape. bottle-green a dark shade of green. bottle party a party to which guests bring bottles of drink. bottle tree any of various Australian trees of the genus Brachychiton with a swollen bottle-shaped trunk. hit the bottle sl. drink heavily. on the bottle sl. drinking (alcoholic drink) heavily.
Derivatives:
bottleful n. (pl. -fuls).
Etymology: ME f. OF botele, botaille f. med.L butticula dimin. of LL buttis BUTT(4)