̈ɪˈbɔtl 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. øbottle 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. øøbottleful n. (pl. -fuls). [ME f. OF botele, botaille f. med.L butticula dimin. of LL buttis BUTT(4)]
