A bottle is a container for liquids. It is also a word used for a person or group of people, or for a small amount of something. It is a kind of vessel or receptacle, and it can be a symbol of power, authority, courage, or intoxication. It can also be used as a term of endearment, for example, “You’re my little bottle.” It is one of the oldest artificial materials, and has been in use for over 5000 years.
Bottles are made of glass and of other substances. They are often used for beverages, but can also hold solids, such as fruit preserved in a brine. They may be transparent or colored, and may have a neck that is narrower than the base, and a cork stopper. They are usually cylindrical, but may be square or rectangular, as well as other shapes.
The United States leads the world in producing glass and plastic bottles. The production of these containers involves a complex process. A machine separates a stream of molten glass into individual gobs, which are then shaped into a short, thick-sided bottle called a parison. Air is then pumped into the parison, which expands it to the shape of the final mold. The expanded bottle is then cooled and cut into the desired shape.
There are many kinds of bottles, ranging from the Bordeaux bottle—which is roughly straight sided, with a curved “shoulder” that is useful for catching sediment, and easy to stack—to the Champagne bottle, which has wider sides to support the pressure of carbonation. There are also bottle shapes for beer, liqueurs, and vinegars.
Some bottles are labeled by applying adhesive labels. Others have a label built into them during the molding process. This is known as in-mould labelling. A few bottles are labelled by stamping, embossing, or screen printing.
Some episodes of television shows are so unusual, standalone, or departures from the norm that they are referred to as bottle episodes. The term is a bit of a misnomer, though, as the majority of the episode’s action can be done on a set. For example, some viewers might argue that Succession’s “Honeydew” is a bottle episode because the majority of the episode is shot in Logan’s apartment on a standing set with only a few additional scenes outside. Others might disagree, however, as it does contain some action on a plane and a large cast of characters. For this reason, it’s probably best to think of it as more of a suitcase episode than a bottle episode.
