1662. Fuller, Worthies (1840), II., 451. Beginning on a good bottom
left him by his father.
1747. Captn. Godfrey, Science of Defence, p. 34. I have mentioned
strength and art as the two ingredients of a boxer. But there is
another, which is vastly necessary; that is, what we call a
bottom.... There are two things required to make this bottom, that
is, wind and spirit, or heart, or wherever you can fix the
residence of courage.
1819. Moore, Tom Crib’s Memorial to Congress, pref., p. xv. The
peculiarities of this boxer discussed—his power of standing with
his arms extended for two whole days, without any rest, by which
means he wore out his adversaries’ bottom, and conquered without
either giving or taking.
1846. Thackeray, V. Fair, vol. II., ch. xiv. He did not like to
dine with Steyne now. They had run races of pleasure together in
youth when Bareacres was the winner. But Steyne had more bottom
than he, and had lasted him out.
3. (popular.)—Spirit placed in a glass prior to the addition of water.
[From bottom, the lowest surface or part of anything, the foundation,
the basis. See peculiar American usage in 1883 quot.] Also used as a
verb.
1854. Sir Theo. Martin, Bon Gaultier Ballads. Bottomed well with
brandy.
1857. A. Trollope, Three Clerks, ch. xxxi. Gin and water was the
ordinary tipple in the front parlour; and any one of its denizens
inclined to cut a dash above his neighbours, generally did so with
a bottom of brandy.
1883. Daily Telegraph, 2 July, p. 5, col. 3. Soda and dark bottom
is mentioned in a list of American drinks in this article.
To knock the bottom out of one, phr. (American).—To overcome; to
defeat, etc.
1888. Cleveland Leader. The declination of Mr. Blaine, has knocked
the bottom out of Mugwumpery.
Bottom Dollar, subs. phr. (American).—The last dollar. The phrase ‘to
bet one’s bottom dollar’ is frequently heard.
Bottom Facts, subs. phr. (American).—The exact truth about any matter.
To ‘get to the bottom facts’ concerning a subject, is to arrive at an
unquestionable conclusion concerning it; or, as is said in England, to
get to the root of the question.
1877. S. L. Clemens (‘Mark Twain’), Life on the Mississippi, p.
393. You take a family able to emba’m, and you’ve got a soft thing.
You can mention sixteen different ways to do it—though there aint
only one or two ways when you come down to the bottom facts of
it—and they’ll take the highest priced way every time. It’s human
nature—human nature in grief.
The phrase is also varied by bottom rock.
1888. Omaha World. Bottom Rock. Conductor (on California train some
years hence)—‘All out for Pitholeville.’ Real Estate Agent
(entering car)—‘Orange groves and apple orchards, two for a penny.’
Bottomless Pit, subs. (old slang).—A coarse and vulgar name for the
female pudenda. For synonyms, see Monosyllable.
Botty, subs. (popular).—An infant’s posteriors; the French say tu tu.
Adj. (popular).—Conceited; swaggering. To look botty is in French,
faire sa merde; faire son matador.
Bough, subs. (old).—The gallows. Tree (q.v.) is used in a similar
sense.
1590. Swinburn, Testaments, 53. Or in Kent in Gauelkind ... for
there it is said, the father to the boughe, and the son to the
ploughe. [M.]
1596. Spenser, State Irel., wks. (1862), p. 553, col. 2. Some ...
have beene for their goods sake caught up, and carryed straight to
the bough.
1870. Morris, Earthly Par., III., iv., 77. If she doom thee to the
bough.
Boughs. Up in the boughs, phr. (old).—In a passion. Quoted by Grose.
Bounce, subs. (common).—Brag; swagger; boastful falsehood and
exaggeration.
1714. Steele, Lover (1723), 93. This is supposed to be only a
bounce.
1748. T. Dyche, Dictionary (5 ed.). Bounce (s.) ... also the huff,
brag, or swaggering of a bully or great pretender.
1765. Goldsmith, Haunch of Venison, l. 14. But hold—let me
pause—don’t I hear you pronounce this tale of the bacon a damnable
bounce?
1856. Whyte Melville, Kate Coventry, ch. i. Only tell a man you
think him good-looking, and he falls in love with you directly; or
if that is too great a bounce—and indeed very few of them have the
slightest pretensions to beauty—you need only hint that he rides
gallantly.
1880. Blackwood’s Mag., May, p. 670. The whole heroic adventure was
the veriest bounce, the merest bunkum!