Definition

1. Noun:

   • A container for liquids: A bottle is a rigid container, typically made of glass or plastic, with a narrow neck and a cap or stopper, used for storing drinks or other liquids.
   • The contents of such a container: "Bottle" can also refer to the quantity of liquid contained within a bottle.
   • A feeding bottle: A specific type of bottle fitted with a flexible teat, used for feeding milk or formula to infants.

2. Verb:

   • To put into bottles: The action of transferring a liquid into bottles for storage or sale.
   • To store in bottles: To keep or preserve a substance, typically a liquid or gas, in a bottle.
   • To restrain or contain emotions (informal): To suppress or hold back one's feelings, often used with "up".

Examples of Usage

• Noun:

  • She bought a bottle of water from the store.
  • The baby finished his bottle and fell asleep.
  • He collects antique glass bottles.

• Verb:

  • The local winery bottles its own wine.
  • Natural gas is bottled under high pressure.
  • He tried to bottle up his frustration during the meeting.

Advanced Usage

• "To be on the bottle" (idiomatic): To be drinking alcohol regularly or to excess.

  • After he lost his job, he was on the bottle for months.

• "To have a lot of bottle" (British slang): To have courage or nerve.

  • It takes a lot of bottle to perform on stage like that.

• "To bottle it" (British slang): To lose one's nerve and fail to do something because of fear.

  • He was going to ask for a raise, but he bottled it at the last minute.

Variants and Related Words

• Bottled (adj): Contained in a bottle.

  • Bottled water is very popular.

• Bottleful (n): The amount that a bottle holds.

  • He drank a whole bottleful of juice.

• Bottleneck (n): A point of congestion or obstruction. (Note: This is a compound word listed here as a related term, not a direct definition of "bottle").

  • Traffic was heavy due to a bottleneck on the bridge.

Synonyms

• Noun: Container, flask, decanter, jar, vial.
• Verb: Containerize, package, preserve, store, suppress (emotions).

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Bottle up: To restrain or conceal emotions.

  • It's not healthy to bottle up your feelings.

• Bottle out (British slang): To decide not to do something because of a loss of courage; synonymous with "to bottle it".

  • He was going to confront his boss but bottled out.

Related Idioms

• "Hit the bottle": To start drinking alcohol heavily, especially due to problems.

  • After the divorce, he really hit the bottle.

• "Crack a bottle": To open a bottle of wine or spirits, typically to celebrate.

  • Let's crack a bottle to celebrate your promotion!

• "The genie is out of the bottle": Said when something (especially information or a situation) has been released and cannot be controlled or put back to how it was before.

  • Once the news was leaked, the genie was out of the bottle.

Noun

1. a vessel fitted with a flexible teat and filled with milk or formula; used as a substitute for breast feeding infants and very young children
2. the quantity contained in a bottle
3. a glass or plastic vessel used for storing drinks or other liquids; typically cylindrical without handles and with a narrow neck that can be plugged or capped

Verb

1. put into bottles
   • bottle the mineral water
2. store (liquids or gases) in bottles