1 bottle | Definition of bottle

bottle

noun, often attributive
bot·​tle | \ ˈbä-tᵊl How to pronounce bottle (audio) \

Definition of bottle

 (Entry 1 of 2)

1a : a rigid or semirigid container typically of glass or plastic having a comparatively narrow neck or mouth and usually no handle
b : a usually bottle-shaped container made of skin for storing a liquid
2 : the quantity held by a bottle
3a : intoxicating drink : the practice of drinking slipped deeper and deeper into the bottle— Anne Bernays
b : liquid food (such as milk) used in place of mother's milk
4 slang, British : mettle, courage

bottle

verb
bottled; bottling\ ˈbä-​tᵊl-​iÅ‹ How to pronounce bottling (audio) , ˈbät-​liÅ‹ \

Definition of bottle (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

1a : to confine as if in a bottle : restrain usually used with up bottling up their anger
b : to put or keep in a position or situation that makes free activity, progress, or escape difficult or impossible usually used with up bottle up legislation in committee
2 : to put into or as if into a bottle wished she could bottle their energy

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Other Words from bottle

Noun

bottleful \ ˈbä-​tᵊl-​ËŒfu̇l How to pronounce bottleful (audio) \ noun

Verb

bottler \ ˈbä-​tᵊl-​É™r How to pronounce bottler (audio) , ˈbät-​lÉ™r \ noun

Examples of bottle in a Sentence

Noun

We drank a bottle of wine. He says he's lost too many years to the bottle, and that he's giving up alcohol. Her struggles with the bottle affected her entire family. Has the baby finished her bottle yet? raised on a bottle instead of breast milk

Verb

The restaurant bottles its own ginger ale. Near the top of the mountain, the climbers relied on bottled oxygen to breathe.
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Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Cashmere, Cookie and Tic Toc tell me to ditch my heavy Nalgene water bottles in favor of lightweight Smartwater disposables, which also fit my screw-on water filter. Melanie Radzicki Mcmanus, chicagotribune.com, "‘Hiker trash,’ a fat rattlesnake and fickle Mother Nature: What it’s like to trek 800 miles on the Arizona Trail," 4 Sep. 2019 Taggart, with a Dasani water bottle in hand, said his comments about the team needing to hydrate earlier in the week during his radio show were misconstrued. Chaunte'l Powell, orlandosentinel.com, "FSU coach Willie Taggart clarifies hydration comments, says Seminoles are focused on ULM," 4 Sep. 2019 Pilgrims should wear comfortable shoes, bring a reusable water bottle, and if not returning on foot remember $1.30 correct change for the Missions Viva Bus back to Mission Espada. ExpressNews.com, "San Antonians can walk a Pilgrimage for Creation this Sunday," 4 Sep. 2019 Dave Birkett, Detroit Free Press Most of his teammates went straight for their water bottles, tired of playing in the Texas heat. Dave Birkett, Detroit Free Press, "The secret to success for one Lions rookie? Pancakes," 3 Sep. 2019 To refill water bottles from larger containers would be a challenge. Brigit Katz, Smithsonian, "To Clean Up Everest, Nepal Is Banning Single-Use Plastics on the Mountain," 29 Aug. 2019 The pilot, of course, survives with his last bottle of rum. Phillip Valys, sun-sentinel.com, "Ride a mechanical taco and drink up at South Florida’s 5 best pop-up bars this fall," 28 Aug. 2019 Now organizations have to decide what to do with their bottle. Marc Bona, cleveland.com, "Special Buffalo Trace bourbon earmarked for 19 NE Ohio charities," 22 Aug. 2019 Find out just how to find your perfect bottle here. Audrey Bruno, SELF, "10 of the Healthiest Cooking Oils, Explained," 19 Aug. 2019

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

On one hand, Avalos has an even more talented defense to try and bottle up Taua again Saturday (4:30 p.m., Pac-12 Network). oregonlive, "Can Oregon DC Andy Avalos bottle up Nevada RB Toa Taua again?," 5 Sep. 2019 This meant that problems tended to be bottled up within the immediate interpersonal context that produced them. Don Pinnock, Quartz Africa, "Cape Town’s bloody gang violence is deeply rooted in its racist history," 16 Aug. 2019 But Oregon can hope that Herbert will be more than just bottled-up NFL potential his last season. Los Angeles Times, "College football 2019: Can Oregon quarterback Justin Herbert reach his potential?," 13 Aug. 2019 Blue Spring Water began bottling in June 2017 and relied at first on word of mouth and the reputation of the spring. William Thornton | [email protected], al, "Blue Spring Living Water is making a splash in Alabama," 11 Aug. 2019 Another Kentucky law bottled up in federal court would mostly ban abortions in the state once a fetal heartbeat is detected. Washington Post, "Appeals court panel hears high-stakes Kentucky abortion case," 9 Aug. 2019 Malfy Gin is a brand of gin bottled in Italy, distilled by Torino Distillati, and distributed by Biggar & Leith. John Kell, Fortune, "Gin Sales Are Booming and It Could Be Thanks to the Growing Plant Craze," 22 June 2019 The woman’s 3-month-old twins were in the back seat of the vehicle, and a search by police uncovered two prescription Methadone bottles with urine inside them, as well as a baby bottle with urine inside it. Washington Post, "Southern Maryland crime report," 7 Aug. 2019 Berryman struggles communicating, the result of decades bottling his feelings inside. Sam Tabachnik, The Denver Post, "Hundreds of men say they were sexually abused during their time in the Boy Scouts. Now they want justice.," 4 Aug. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'bottle.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of bottle

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1594, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

History and Etymology for bottle

Noun

Middle English botel, from Old French botele, from Medieval Latin butticula, diminutive of Late Latin buttis cask

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