bottom

[ bot-uhm ]

noun

1. the lowest or deepest part of anything, as distinguished from the top:

   the bottom of a hill;

   the bottom of a page;

   the tea leaves at the bottom of my cup.

   Synonyms: pedestal, foot, base

2. the under or lower side; underside:

   The sell-by date is printed on the bottom of the package.

3. the ground under any body of water:

   The study sent a camera to the bottom of the sea.

4. Usually bottoms. Also called bottom land. Physical Geography. low alluvial land next to a river.
5. Informal. the buttocks; rump.
6. the seat of a chair:

   Don't sit in that one, the bottom is broken.

7. the fundamental part; basic aspect.

   Synonyms: groundwork, foundation

8. the cause; origin; basis:

   Try getting to the bottom of the problem.

   Synonyms: wellspring, beginning, genesis, ground, root

9. lowest limit, especially of dignity, status, or rank:

   When people sink that low, they're bound to reach the bottom soon.

10. bottoms, (used with a plural verb) the bottom part of a two-piece article of clothing, such as a bathing suit or a pair of pajamas.
11. Baseball.
    1. the second half of an inning.
    2. the last three players in the batting order.
12. Nautical.
    1. the part of a hull between the bilges, including the keel.
    2. the part of a hull that is immersed at all times.
    3. the cargo space in a vessel.
    4. a cargo vessel.
13. the working part of a plow, comprising the plowshare, landside, and moldboard.
14. Slang. Compare top ¹( def 19 ).vers ( def ).
    1. (in the LGBTQ community) a person who prefers to take or is currently taking a receptive role in a particular sexual act, especially in anal intercourse.
    2. (especially in BDSM) a person who prefers to take or is currently taking a submissive role in a sexual relationship.
15. Usually bottoms. Chemistry. the heaviest, least volatile fraction of petroleum, left behind in distillation after more volatile fractions are driven off.

verb (used with object)

1. to furnish with an under or lowest side:

   The oven needed to be bottomed before it could be used.

2. to base or found (usually followed by on or upon ):

   A defense must be bottomed on reliable evidence.

3. to discover the full meaning of (something); fathom.
4. to bring (a submarine) to rest on the ocean floor:

   They had to bottom the sub until the enemy cruisers had passed by.

verb (used without object)

1. to be based; rest.
2. to strike against the bottom or end; reach the bottom.
3. (of an automotive vehicle) to sink vertically, as when bouncing after passing over a bump, so that the suspension reaches the lower limit of its motion:

   The car bottomed too easily on the bumpy road.

4. Slang. Compare top ¹( def 41 ).vers ( def ).
   1. (in the LGBTQ community) to take a receptive role in a particular sexual act, especially in anal intercourse.
   2. (especially in BDSM) to take a submissive role in a sexual relationship or encounter.

adjective

1. of or relating to the bottom or a bottom.
2. located on or at the lowest part or side:

   I want the bottom book in the stack.

3. lowest:

   They sold off the last of the stock at bottom prices.

4. living near or on the bottom:

   A flounder is a bottom fish.

5. fundamental:

   The bottom cause of the issue is a lack of funding.

verb phrase

1. to reach the lowest state or level:

   The declining securities market finally bottomed out and began to rise.

bottom

/ ˈbɒtəm /

noun

1. the lowest, deepest, or farthest removed part of a thing

   the bottom of a hill

2. the least important or successful position

   the bottom of a class

3. the ground underneath a sea, lake, or river
4. touch bottom
   to run aground
5. the inner depths of a person's true feelings (esp in the phrase from the bottom of one's heart )
6. the underneath part of a thing
7. nautical the parts of a vessel's hull that are under water
8. (in literary or commercial contexts) a boat or ship
9. billiards snooker a strike in the centre of the cue ball
10. a dry valley or hollow
11. often plural the low land bordering a river
12. the lowest level worked in a mine
13. (esp of horses) staying power; stamina
14. importance, seriousness, or influence

    his views all have weight and bottom

15. informal.
    the buttocks
16. at bottom
    in reality; basically or despite appearances to the contrary

    he's a kind man at bottom

17. be at the bottom of
    to be the ultimate cause of
18. get to the bottom of
    to discover the real truth about
19. knock the bottom out of
    to destroy or eliminate

adjective

1. lowest or last

   the bottom price

2. bet one's bottom dollar on or put one's bottom dollar on
   to be absolutely sure of (one's opinion, a person, project, etc)
3. of, relating to, or situated at the bottom or a bottom

   the bottom shelf

4. fundamental; basic

verb

1. tr to provide (a chair, etc) with a bottom or seat
2. tr to discover the full facts or truth of; fathom
3. usually foll byon or upon to base or be founded (on an idea, etc)
4. intr nautical to strike the ground beneath the water with a vessel's bottom
5. mining
   1. to mine (a hole, claim, etc) deep enough to reach any gold there is
   2. intrfoll byon to reach (gold, mud, etc) on bottoming
6. electronics to saturate a transistor so that further increase of input produces no change in output

Other Words From

• un·bot·tom verb (used with object)
• un·der·bot·tom noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of bottom¹

First recorded before 1000; Middle English botme, Old English botm; akin to Old Norse botn, Dutch bodem, German Boden; cognate with Latin fundus, Greek pythmḗn, Sanskrit budhná

Word History and Origins

Origin of bottom¹

Old English botm ; related to Old Norse botn , Old High German bodam , Latin fundus , Greek puthmēn

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. at bottom, in reality; fundamentally: Also at the bottom.

   They knew at bottom that they were only deceiving themselves.

2. bet one's bottom dollar,
   1. to wager the last of one's money or resources.
   2. to be positive or assured:

      You can bet your bottom dollar that something will prevent us from leaving on time.

3. bottoms up, (used as an interjection to announce or urge the downing of one's drink).
4. hit bottom, to fall into the worst of all possible circumstances:

   After all those years of flying high, she finally hit bottom.

   When the housing market crashed, it really hit bottom, leaving people with houses worth less than their mortgages.

More idioms and phrases containing bottom

• at bottom
• from head to toe (top to bottom)
• from the bottom of one's heart
• get to the bottom
• hit (touch) bottom
• knock the bottom out of
• rock bottom
• touch bottom
• you bet your ass (bottom dollar)

Example Sentences

"River insects are right at the bottom of the food chain," she told BBC News.

From BBC

Azerbaijan, who finished bottom of their League B group, were also entered into the play-offs as the next best placed side because group winners Switzerland were already assured of their spot.

From BBC

Instead of 77 rows from the bottom to the base of the pavilion, the new design will feature about 50 rows.

From Los Angeles Times

Anyone who actually cared about women or "life" would want to get to the bottom of that.

From Salon

With its solid bottom and flexible sides, the RIB has become a cornerstone of modern boating, with use for leisure, by the military and, crucially in life-saving.

From BBC