Bottom

n. [A-S. botm, O. Sax. bodem, O. H. Ger. podam, podum, M. H. Ger. bodem, N. H. Ger. boden, D. bodem, Icel. & Norw. botn, Sw. botten, O. Dan. bodn, N. Dan. bund (for budn). Cf. Gr. πυθμήν, bottom, allied to βαθύς, deep.]

1Sense 1. The lowest part of any thing; as, the bottom of a well, vat, or ship; the bottom of a hill or lane. “To dive into the bottom of the deep.” Shak.

2Sense 2. That upon which any thing rests or is founded, in a literal or a figurative sense; foundation; base; as, the rocky bottom of a stream.

He was at the bottom of many excellent counsels. Addison.

He was at the bottom honest and sincere. Atterbury.

No two chairs were alike; such high backs and low backs, and leather bottoms and worsted bottoms. Irving.

3Sense 3. Low land formed by alluvial deposits along a river; a dale; a valley. “He stood among the myrtle trees that were in the bottom.” “A sheep-cote down in the neighboring bottom.” “The bottoms and the high grounds.” Stoddard.

4Sense 4. (Naut.) The keel of a vessel, and hence, the vessel itself; a ship.

My ventures are not in one bottom trusted. Shak.

Not to sell the teas, but to return them to London in the same bottoms in which they were shipped. Bancroft.

5Sense 5. Power of endurance; stamina; as, a horse of good bottom.

6Sense 6. Dregs or grounds; lees; sediment. “The bottom of beer.” Johnson.

7Sense 7. A ball or skein of thread.

And beat me to death with a bottom of brown thread. Shak.

[imp. & p. p. BOTTOMED; p. pr. & vb. n. BOTTOMING.]

1Sense 1. To found or build upon; to fix upon as a support; followed by on or upon.

Action is supposed to be bottomed upon principle. Atterbury.

Those false and deceiving grounds upon which many bottom their eternal state. South.

2Sense 2. To furnish with a seat or bottom; as, to bottom a chair.

3Sense 3. To wind round something, as in making a ball of thread.

As you unwind her love from him, Lest it should ravel and be good to none, You must provide to bottom it on me. Shak.

v. i. To rest upon, as its ultimate support; to be based. Find on what foundation a proposition bottoms. Locke.