A hollow vessel, or bottle (from the shape), of glass, wood, leather, or other material, used for containing liquids. In some countries, small bottles of this kind are called vials; but larger ones are generally known as bottles, and in particular, those of wine, porter, or cyder. The term is also applied to any liquor contained in such a container.
In the early days of television, an episode was sometimes referred to as a bottle episode, particularly when it was filmed on a single location in a limited time. This practice was often a financial necessity, as many shows had to economize in order to keep their costs down and maintain their quality of production. The concept eventually extended beyond television to include movies as well.
It’s important to distinguish bottle from other terms that may be confusing or misleading, such as bore, neck, ring, or mouth, all of which are different parts of the same feature on a bottle, namely the opening through which its contents can be accessed. These terms are also often confused with mold seams, which are the raised lines on a body, shoulder, or neck that form where the edges of various sections of a mold came together to make a bottle. See the Bottle Body & Mold Seams page for more information on bottle finishes and mold seams.
Similarly, it is important to differentiate between a bottle and a jar, which are both containers but serve slightly different purposes. A bottle holds liquids, such as beer, wine, milk, or lemonade; a jar typically contains solid foods, such as jam, marmalade, pickles, or preserved fruit.
Another word that can be confusing for the uninitiated is cork, which is a seal that is used to hold a bottle’s contents in place and is usually shaped like a cylinder rather than a spherical cap. In addition to being a sealing device, it is also used as a measuring instrument.
As for the term bottle itself, it is widely accepted that it refers to a beverage container, but there is still disagreement over whether it can be applied to a movie or TV show as well. Some argue that it is unfair to apply it to such a broad category of media, since many of the requirements for what makes an episode a bottle are often a matter of artistic choice. Other people are more sympathetic, noting that a bottle episode can be an effective way to tell a compelling story in a limited amount of time. Whatever the case, there is no doubt that bottle has become one of the most useful and popular words in pop culture. Its definition has even been incorporated into the English language, in spite of its French origins.
