bottle

bot|tle¹ W2S1 [ˈbɔtl US ˈba:tl] n

[Date: 1300-1400; : Old French; Origin: bouteille, from Medieval Latin butticula, from Late Latin buttis 'wooden container for liquid']

1.)

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.) also bottleful

the amount of liquid that a bottle contains

▪ Between us, we drank three bottles of wine.

3.)

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

BrE (=be drinking lot of alcohol regularly)

5.) [U] BrE informal courage to do something that is dangerous or unpleasant

= ↑nerve

▪ I never thought she'd have the bottle to do it!

6.) bring a bottle

BrE bring your own bottle AmE

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

bottle ²

bottle² v [T]

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.) BrE to put vegetables or fruit into special glass containers in order to preserve them

American Equivalent: can

bottle out phr v

also bottle it

to suddenly decide not to do something because you are frightened

= ↑cop out

▪ 'Did you tell him?' 'No, I bottled out at the last minute.'

bottle up [bottle sth<=>up] phr v

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.