bottom
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bottom of League Division One. 6 [the (of)] the far end: I'll walk with you to the bottom of the road. | (BrE) We grow vegetables at the bottom of our garden. 7 [the+of] the starting point; cause or origin: Who is at the bottom of all this trouble? I intend to get to the bottom of it. (=find out the cause) 8 [(in)] the lowest GEAR of a motor vehicle 9 [C] also bottoms pl. — the lower part of a two-piece garment: pyjama bottoms 10 [C] naut the part of a ship below the water 11 [C] AmE the second half of an INNING: It's the bottom of the seventh and the score is tied 3-all. 12 at bottom really; in spite of appearances: He pretends to be very tough, but he's a kind man at bottom. 13 Bottoms up! infml, especially humor Empty your glasses! Finish your drinks! 14 the bottom has fallen out of the market prices and demand for products have fallen to 'a very low level 15 -bottomed /bɒtəmd||bɑː-/ having the stated kind of bottom: round-bottomed glasses | a fat-bottomed woman → see also bet one's bottom dollar (BET²), knock the bottom out of (KNOCK¹); compare TOP¹
bottom² v
bottom out phr v [I] to reach the lowest point before rising again: The price of oil bottomed out at $12 a barrel and has now started to rise again.
Bottom a humorous character who is changed into a DONKEY in Shakespeare's play A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM
,bottom 'drawer BrE || hope chest AmE — n [C usually sing.] old use infml the clothes, sheets, and other things needed for starting a home which a girl collects before getting married → compare TOP DRAWER
bot-tom-less /'bɒtəmləs||'bɑː-/ adj with no bottom or limit; very deep: a bottomless well | (fig.) The bank's chairman said that giving loans to that country was like pouring money into a bottomless pit.
,bottom 'line n [the] 1 the amount of money shown (as profit or loss) at the bottom of a set of accounts 2 the most important result in the end, especially with regard to money; OUTCOME: If we make all the changes I am proposing, the bottom line is that the company will save £50,000.
,bottom-'up adj a bottom-up plan or method is one in which you start by paying attention to details, rather than thinking about general principles → compare TOP-DOWN
bot-u-lism /'bɒtʃʊlɪzəm||'bɑː-/ n [U] serious food poisoning caused by bacteria in preserved meat and vegetables
Boudicca
Bou-dic-ca /'bu:dɪkə||bu:'di:kə/ also Boadicea (died AD 60) the Queen of the Iceni people of eastern Britain, who led them in battle against the Romans. In pictures, Boudicca is usually shown driving a CHARIOT.
bou-doir /'bu:dwɑː/ n (especially in former times) a woman's dressing room, bedroom, or private sitting room
bouf-fant /'bu:fɒn, -ɒnt||bu:'fa:nt/ adj (of hair or a piece of clothing) puffed out (PUFF out)
bou-gain-vil-le-a, -laea /ˌbu:gən'vɪliə/ n a climbing plant with large red and purple flowers which grows in hot countries
bough /baʊ/ n especially lit a main branch of a tree
bought /bɔːt/ past tense and participle of BUY
bouil-la-baisse /ˌbu:jə'beɪs||-'beɪs/ n [C,U] a strong-tasting STEW made from fish
bouil-lon /'bu:jɒn||-'jɑːn/ n [C,U] a clear soup made by boiling meat and vegetables in water
boul-der /'bəʊldə/ n a large stone or mass of rock
,Boulder 'Dam the former name for the HOOVER DAM
boules /bu:l/ n [U] an outdoor game played especially in France, in which one tries to throw or roll a big, usually metal, ball as near as possible to a small ball (the JACK)
boule-vard /'bu:ləvɑːd||'bu:ləvɑːrd, 'bu-/ written abbrev. blvd n (part of the name of) a broad street in a town, sometimes having trees on each side: Sunset Boulevard
Bou-logne /bu:'lɒn||-'loʊn/ a city on the northeast coast of France, known for being one of the ports where ships bringing passengers and cars arrive after crossing the English Channel from Dover
bounce¹ /baʊns/ v 1 [i,T] a) (of a ball) to spring back or up again after hitting a surface; REBOUND: The ball hit the wall and bounced off it. b) to cause (a ball) to do this: to bounce a ball against a wall | (fig.) The message is sent across the Atlantic by bouncing radio waves off a satellite. 2 [I+adv/prep;T+obj+adv/prep] to move with a springing movement, often suddenly or noisily: She bounced into the room. | I bounced the baby on my knee. 3 [I] (of a cheque) to be returned by a bank as worthless → compare DISHONOUR²
bounce back phr v [I] to return to your former strong or active state, after a failure or misfortune
bounce² n 1 [C] an act of bouncing 2 [U] the quality of bouncing well 3 [U] infml liveliness; VIGOUR
bounc-er /'baʊnsə/ n 1 infml a strong man employed, especially at a club or restaurant, to throw out unwelcome customers 2 (in cricket) a fast ball that passes or hits the BATSMAN at above chest height after it bounces (BOUNCE)
bounc-ing /'baʊnsɪŋ/ adj [A] apprec. (especially of babies) healthy and active
,bouncing 'bomb n a bomb developed by Barnes Wallis (1887–1979). Bouncing bombs were used during World War II against the Germans by the Royal Air Force Dambusters Squadron. → see also DAM BUSTERS
bounc-y /'baʊnsi/ adj 1 full of life and confidence, and eager for action: a bouncy person/manner 2 that bounces well: a bouncy ball —iness n [U]
,bouncy 'castle n a large rubber structure with three walls and a thick floor, sometimes shaped like a castle, which is filled with air and which children jump on for fun
bound¹ /baʊnd/ past tense and participle of BIND: The prisoner was bound to a stake and shot.
bound² adj 1 [F+to-v] very likely; certain: It's bound to rain soon. | In a group as big as this, you are bound to get occasional disagreements. 2 [F+to-v] having a duty, legally or morally, to do something: The priest was bound by his position to withhold the information from the police. | She thinks it's a crazy idea, and I'm bound to say I agree with her. | You are not legally bound to answer these questions. 3 [(in)] (of a book) fastened within covers: a cloth-bound volume | a Bible bound in leather 4 tech (in grammar) always found in combination with another form: 'Un-' and '-er' are bound forms in the words 'unknown' and 'speaker' → opposite FREE 5 bound up in very busy with or interested in; PREOCCUPIED: She is bound up in her own problems. 6 bound up with dependent on; connected with: His future is closely bound up with that of the company. 7 I'll be bound old-fash infml I'm quite certain
bound³ n a jump or LEAP: With one bound, he was over the wall. | (fig.) Jill's making excellent progress; she's coming along in leaps and bounds. → see also BOUNDS
bound⁴ v [I+adv/prep] 1 to move along quickly by jumping or leaping (LEAP) movements: The dog bounded away/down the hill. 2 to spring or BOUNCE back from a surface
bound⁵ adj [(for)] going to or intending to go to: bound for home | homeward-bound | We boarded a plane bound for New York.
bound⁶ v [T usually pass.] to mark or form the boundaries or limits of: The US is bounded in/on the north by Canada and in/on the south by Mexico. → see also BOUNDS
bound-a-ry /'baʊndəri/ n 1 [(between)] the dividing line especially between two areas of land: A river forms the boundary (line) between the two countries. 2 the outer limit of anything: The boundaries of human knowledge are constantly being extended. 3 (in cricket) the outer limit of the