General
bottle
What does bottle mean?
Used to praise nerve or to mock cowardice depending on the phrasing.
"Fair play, that took some bottle."
Origin
British slang dating back decades, "bottle" for courage is often linked to the cockney rhyming slang "bottle and glass," evolving into a general term for nerve.
Frequently asked questions
What does bottle mean in British slang?
Bottle means courage or nerve — "having bottle" is being brave, while "bottling it" means chickening out.
Where did bottle come from?
It's long-standing British slang, often traced to the cockney rhyming slang "bottle and glass."
What does bottle it mean?
To "bottle it" means to lose your nerve and back out of something at the last moment.
How do you use bottle in a sentence?
For example: "that took some bottle" — meaning it took courage.
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