Bottle Definition: Usage, Examples and Quiz

Discover the variations in usage of this word in different contexts in sentences.

To define a bottle, please take a look at the synonymous expressions connected with it, to expand your vocabulary and know how to substitute this word.

Related nouns: container flask jar vial decanter

Synonyms (contextual): thermos

Common collocations: bottle of water plastic bottle pop the bottle

Learn more about how you can combine “bottle” with different parts of speech, such as verbs, adjectives and nouns to create new, meaningful collocations.

With adjectives: empty bottle full bottle small bottle glass bottle

With verbs: fill a bottle recycle a bottle shake a bottle throw a bottle

With nouns (noun + noun): bottle opener bottle cap bottle of wine bottle of oil

Discover the idiomatic meanings connected to this word and remember the phrases below to use them in the future.

• To bottle up — this means to hide your feelings and not show them, even when you feel upset or worried.

  She tried to bottle up her anger, but her face turned red.

• Lose your bottle — to lose your nerve or to suddenly feel scared and stop doing something you planned to do.

  He wanted to try the big slide, but he lost his bottle at the last moment.

• To catch lightning in a bottle — to capture or achieve something rare and elusive, a seemingly impossible feat.

  Their small team caught lightning in a bottle when their first video became famous overnight.

Let’s sum up everything you have learned already! Use our intellectual game to check what you know in practice.

Look and listen to “bottle” spelling and pronunciation in different languages:

Take a look at the meaning of the “bottle” and its influence on our lives through the prism of these interesting details.

• The oldest known bottles are over 3,500 years old.

  Ancient Egyptians used glass bottles for perfumes and oils, showing that people loved stylish containers even thousands of years ago. These early bottles were often brightly coloured and carefully decorated. Some were so beautiful that they were treated like treasures rather than simple containers.

• A plastic bottle can take up to 450 years to break down.

  The very long lifespan of plastic explains why the term recycling is “a must,” not “nice to have”. A plastic’s gradual destruction means that every bottle we discard almost turns into a little piece of history. Hence, bottles from many decades ago can still be found looking almost new.

• The world’s most expensive bottle of water costs over $60,000.

  It’s called Acqua di Cristallo Tributo a Modigliani and comes in a 24-karat gold bottle designed like a piece of art. The water in it is not the main reason for buying; people value the luxury and design. The bottle is so extravagant that it is often displayed like a sculpture.

• The shape of wine bottles isn’t random.

  The profound “dimple” at the bottom, known as a punt, enhances the strength of the bottle and captures the sediment. Besides, this design makes holding the bottle easier while pouring. Different regions even have signature bottle shapes that reflect tradition.

• Reusable bottles can save hundreds of single-use ones each year.

  Let’s move back to the ecology topic once more. A single individual using a reusable bottle may eliminate the equivalent of a small mountain of plastic from landfills each year. Habits like this will lead to significant positive changes in the long run. This minor decision can save millions of bottles from being wasted over the years.

There are a lot of different quotations where we can see this word. Take a look at some of them where “bottle” comes from a new angle, being something more than just a container for liquids.