Etymology

Old English , "ground, soil, lowest part," from Proto-Germanic *buthm- (cf. Old Frisian , German ), from (cf. Sanskrit , , Latin , Old Irish . Meaning "posterior of a man" is from 1794; the verb "to reach the bottom of" is from 1808. Bottom dollar "the last dollar one has" is from 1882.

Noun

1. The lowest part from the uppermost part, in either of these senses:
   1. The part furthest in the direction toward which an unsupported object would fall.
   2. The part seen, or intended to be seen, nearest the edge of the visual field normally occupied by the lowest visible objects, as "footers appear at the bottoms of pages".
2. The buttocks or anus.
3. The second half of an inning, the home team's turn to bat.
4. A submissive in a BDSM relationship or roleplay.
5. A gay man who likes take a passive sexual role rather than an active role (e.g. to be penetrated in anal sex rather than to penetrate).
6. a cargo vessel, a ship.
7. certain parts of a vessel, particularly the cargo hold or the portion of the ship that is always underwater.
8. character, reliability, staying-power, dignity, integrity or sound judgment. See lack bottom.
9. a valley, often used in place names.

   Where shall we go for a walk? How about Ashcombe Bottom?

Synonyms

• (1): base
• (2): arse (British, Australian, NZ), ass, fanny (North American), backside, bot, bott, botty, bum, buttocks
• (5): catcher
• See also Wikisaurus:buttocks
• See also Wikisaurus:anus

Related terms

• bot
• bottom feeder
• bottom land
• bottom line
• bottom-most
• bottom out

• bottoms up
• bottom-up
• rock bottom
• top to bottom
• wind up one's bottoms
• bottomer

Verb

1. To fall to the lowest point.
   • John J. Murphy, Intermarket Analysis: Profiting from Global Market Relationships (2004) p. 119:

     The Dow Jones Industrial Average bottomed on September 24, 2001. The CRB Index bottomed on October 24.

2. To be the source of support or authority for something.
   • United States. Congress. House. Committee on the Judiciary. Subcommittee on Commercial and Administrative Law, Executive Orders and Presidential Directives, (2001) p.59.

     Moreover, the Supreme Court has held that the President must obey outstanding executive orders, even when bottomed on the Constitution, until they are revoked.

3. To be the submissive in a BDSM relationship or roleplay.

Adjective

1. The lowest or last place or position.

   Those files should go on the bottom shelf.