Emily Dickinson Lexicon

BOT'TOM, n. [Sax. botm; Sw. botn; D. bodem; G. boden. It seems to be allied to Gr. βαθος, and to the Russ. pad, a valley, padayu, to fall. The sense is from throwing down, setting, laying or beating down; a dialect perhaps of basis. Class Bd.]

1. The lowest part of any thing; as, the bottom of a well, vat or ship; the bottom of a hill.
2. The ground under any body of water; as, the bottom of the sea, of a river or lake.
3. The foundation or ground work of any thing, as of an edifice, or of any system or moral subject; the base, or that which supports any superstructure.
4. A low ground; a dale; a valley; applied in the United States to the flat lands adjoining rivers, &c. It is so used in some parts of England. – Mitford.
5. The deepest part; that which is most remote from the view; as, let us examine this subject to the bottom.
6. Bound; limit. There is no bottom in my voluptuousness. – Shak.
7. The utmost extent or depth of cavity, or of intellect, whether deep or shallow. I do see the bottom of justice Shallow. – Shak.
8. The foundation, considered as the cause, spring or origin; the first moving cause; as, a foreign prince is at the bottom of the confederacy.
9. A ship or vessel. Goods imported in foreign bottoms pay a higher duty than those imported in our own. Hence, a, state of hazard, chance or risk; but in this sense it is used chiefly or solely in the singular. We say, venture not too much in one bottom; that is, do not hazard too much at a single risk.
10. A ball of thread. [W. botwm, a button; Corn. id. See Bottle.]
11. The bottom of a lane or alley, is the lowest end. This phrase supposes a declivity; but it is often used for the most remote part, when there is very little declivity.
12. The bottom of beer, or other liquor, is the grounds or dregs.
13. In the language of jockeys, stamina, native strength; as, a horse of good bottom.