bottom
bot·tom [bottom bottoms bottomed bottoming] noun, adjective, verb BrE [ˈbɒtəm] NAmE [ˈbɑːtəm]
noun
LOWEST PART
1. countable, usually singular ~ (of sth) the lowest part of sth
• Footnotes are given at the bottom of each page.
• The wind blew through gaps at the top and bottom of the door.
•I waited for them at the bottom of the hill.
•The book I want is right at the bottom (= of the pile).
Opp: ↑top
•farmers who lived in the valley bottoms
2. countable, usually singular ~ (of sth) the part of sth that faces downwards and is not usually seen
• The manufacturer's name is on the bottom of the plate.
OF CONTAINER
3. countable, usually singular ~ (of sth) the lowest surface on the inside of a container
• I found some coins at the bottom of my bag.
• Allow the tea leaves to settle to the bottom of the cup.
OF RIVER/POOL
4. singular the ground below the water in a lake, river, swimming pool, etc
• He dived in and hit his head on the bottom.
• I feel safe as long as I can touch the bottom.
END OF STH
5. the ~ (of sth) singular (especially BrE)the part of sth that is furthest from you, your house, etc
• I went to the school at the bottom of our street.
• There was a stream at the bottom of the garden.
LOWEST POSITION
6. singular ~ (of sth) the lowest position in a class, on a list, etc; a person, team, etc. that is in this position
•a battle between the teams at the bottom of the league
• You have to be prepared to start at the bottom and work your way up.
• I was always bottom of the class in math.
Opp: ↑top
PART OF BODY
7. countable (especially BrE)the part of the body that you sit on
Syn: ↑backside, Syn: ↑behind
CLOTHING
8. countable, usually plural the lower part of a set of clothes that consists of two pieces
•a bikini bottom
•a pair of pyjama/tracksuit bottoms
compare ↑top
OF SHIP
9. countable the lower part of a ship that is below the surface of the water
Syn: ↑hull
-BOTTOMED
10. (in adjectives)having the type of bottom mentioned
•a flat-bottomed boat
more at at the top/bottom of the heap at ↑heap n., from the (bottom of your) heart at ↑heart, (at the) bottom/top of the pile at ↑pile n., scrape (the bottom of) the barrel at ↑scrape v., from top to bottom at ↑top n., touch bottom at ↑touch v.
Word Origin:
Old English botm, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch bodem ‘bottom, ground’ and German Boden ‘ground, earth’.
Thesaurus:
bottom noun C, usually sing.
•There are notes at the bottom of each page.
base • • foot • • foundation •
Opp: top
at/near/towards the bottom/base/foot of sth
on the bottom/base of sth
Bottom or foot? Foot is used in more literary contexts, and especially with tree, hill, mountain, stairs, steps and page. Bottom is used for a much wider range of things.
Synonyms:
bottom
base • foundation • foot
These are all words for the lowest part of sth.
bottom • [usually sing.] the lowest part of sth: ▪ Footnotes are given at the bottom of each page. ◇ ▪ I waited for them at the bottom of the hill.
base • [usually sing.] the lowest part of sth, especially the part or surface on which it rests or stands: ▪ The lamp has a heavy base.
foundation • [usually pl.] a layer of bricks, concrete, etc. that forms the solid underground base of a building: ▪ to ▪ lay the foundations ▪ of the new school
foot • [sing.] the lowest part of sth: ▪ At the foot of the stairs she turned to face him.
bottom or foot?
Foot is used to talk about a limited number of things: it is used most often with tree, hill/mountain, steps/stairs and page. Bottom can be used to talk about a much wider range of things, including those mentioned above for foot. Foot is generally used in more literary contexts.
at/near/towards the bottom/base/foot of sth
on the bottom/base of sth
(a) firm/solid/strong base/foundation(s)
Example Bank:
•He reached the bottom of the steps in no time.
•He started at the bottom and worked his way up through the company.
•He's near the bottom of the class.
•I'd love to know what lies at the bottom of all this.
•Line the bottom of the cage with newspaper.
•She could only just touch the bottom.
•The boat sank to the bottom of the sea.
•The only way to get to the bottom of it is to confront the chairman.
•We rode along the bottom of the valley.
•a case with a false bottom
•at the bottom of the hill
•in the bottom of my bag
•on the bottom of the box
•strange sounds from the bottom of the well
•The book I want is right at the bottom.
Idioms: ↑at bottom ▪ at the bottom of something ▪ ↑bottom drops out ▪ ↑bottoms up! ▪ ↑get to the bottom of something
Derived: ↑bottom out
adjective only before noun
in the lowest, last or furthest place or position
•the bottom line (on a page)
•your bottom lip
•the bottom step (of a flight of stairs)
•on the bottom shelf
• Put your clothes in the bottom drawer.
• Their house is at the bottom end of Bury Road (= the end furthest from where you enter the road).
•in the bottom right-hand corner of the page
•the bottom end of the price range
•to go up a hill in bottom gear
•We came bottom (= got the worst result) with 12 points.
see you can bet your life/your bottom dollar (on sth/(that)…) at ↑bet v.
see also ↑rock-bottom
Word Origin:
Old English botm, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch bodem ‘bottom, ground’ and German Boden ‘ground, earth’.
verb
Verb forms: 
Word Origin:
Old English botm, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch bodem ‘bottom, ground’ and German Boden ‘ground, earth’.
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