bottles

"Bottles" has two main uses in English — it can be a noun (the plural of "bottle") or a verb (the third-person singular form of "to bottle"). Both are common in everyday life.

1nouncontainers for liquid

A bottle is a tall container, usually made of glass or plastic, with a narrow opening at the top. You use it to store drinks like water, juice, or wine. 'Bottles' is simply more than one of these containers.

everyday language · Modern, widely used

She put three bottles of water in her bag before the hike.

The recycling bin was full of empty glass bottles.

He bought two bottles of olive oil at the market.

2verbto put liquid into bottles

When a company or person 'bottles' a drink, they fill bottles with it and seal them, usually to sell or store. Think of a factory filling thousands of bottles with juice on a conveyor belt.

food and industry · Modern, widely used

The factory bottles over a million litres of water every day.

The winery bottles its wine in the autumn after the harvest.

He bottles his homemade hot sauce and gives it to friends as gifts.

3verbfigurativeto hold back feelings (bottle up)

In everyday English, people often say someone 'bottles up' their emotions when they keep their feelings hidden inside instead of expressing them. The image is of trapping something inside a sealed bottle. You will often hear this as 'bottles up' rather than 'bottles' alone.

everyday language / psychology · Modern, widely used · figurative

He bottles up his stress instead of talking to someone about it.

She bottles her emotions, which makes it hard for others to understand her.

Bottling up anger is not healthy in the long run.