bottomless
/ˈbɒtəmləs/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈbɑːtəmləs/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈbä-təm-ləs/ (ame, mw)
bottomless — adjective
- bottomlesspositive
- more bottomlesscomparative
- most bottomlesssuperlative
1. so deep that the bottom cannot be seen or reached, as if there is no floor or en
so deep that the bottom cannot be seen or reached, as if there is no floor or end to a hole, container, or stretch of water
The researchers lowered a camera into what seemed like a bottomless well.
collocation: bottomless well / bottomless pit / bottomless lake
Omar stared into the bottomless canyon and felt a sudden chill run through him.
Local legend says there is a bottomless lake hidden somewhere in these northern mountains.
When Arun dropped a stone into the old mine shaft, it seemed completely bottomless.
- unfathomable
more formal and literary; suggests depth that the mind cannot grasp rather than physical depth
- abyssal
technical term used for ocean depths; very rare in everyday speech
- immeasurable
focuses on the impossibility of measurement rather than the absence of a bottom
文法句型
bottomless + noun (pit, well, lake)
seem/appear + bottomless
用法筆記
Often used as an exaggeration in stories or legends rather than a literal description. Common nouns that pair with this sense include pit, well, lake, canyon, and chasm.
常見錯誤
2. having no real or visible limit; seeming to go on or continue forever, especiall
having no real or visible limit; seeming to go on or continue forever, especially when describing a quantity, resource, or personal quality
The government's appetite for new tax revenue seemed truly bottomless.
collocation: bottomless appetite / bottomless supply / bottomless patience
Fatima showed bottomless patience when helping her nephew with maths homework.
The couple's bottomless optimism carried them through years of difficulty and loss.
Hugo claimed the company had a bottomless budget for research into renewable energy.
Anika's curiosity about ancient Egyptian civilisation appeared to be completely bottomless.
- boundless
very close in meaning, but more poetic and often implies a positive, expansive feeling
- infinite
more formal and can suggest a literal, mathematical, or philosophical limitlessness
- endless
more common in everyday speech; emphasises duration rather than quantity
- limitless
neutral and widely used; focuses on the absence of restrictions
- limited
the most straightforward opposite; common at B1 level
- finite
more technical or formal; the opposite of infinite in mathematics and philosophy
- restricted
suggests an external constraint rather than an inherent limit
文法句型
bottomless + abstract noun (supply, appetite, patience, optimism)
seem/appear + bottomless
用法筆記
Common in descriptive and literary writing. Frequently collocates with abstract nouns such as appetite, supply, patience, optimism, energy, budget, and curiosity. Unlike infinite, bottomless suggests a feeling of abundance rather than a mathematical or philosophical limit.
常見錯誤
3. describes a meal or drinks deal where customers pay a single fixed price and can
describes a meal or drinks deal where customers pay a single fixed price and can have as much as they want of a particular item
The café on Green Street offers a bottomless brunch every Sunday from ten until two.
collocation: bottomless brunch
We paid thirty dollars each and got bottomless coffee with fresh pastries all morning.
For an extra twenty dollars, guests can add bottomless champagne to their meal.
Diego and his friends went to a bottomless pizza restaurant after the basketball game.
The hotel advertises bottomless iced tea for guests who stay by the pool all day.
- unlimited
more general and more common in American English; can be used attributively and predicatively
- all-you-can-eat
common in American English for food; more casual than bottomless
- free-flow
British English term specifically for unlimited drinks, especially alcohol
- paid-per-item
describes the opposite pricing model where each item is charged separately
- limited
general opposite that applies to any fixed-quantity deal
文法句型
bottomless + food/drink noun (brunch, coffee, champagne, pizza)
bottomless + [drink/food] + [meal noun]
用法筆記
Attributive use only — always placed before a noun (bottomless brunch, not brunch is bottomless). Most common in British English to describe brunch deals that include unlimited prosecco or champagne. In American English, all-you-can-eat or unlimited are more frequent alternatives.
常見錯誤
4. not wearing any clothes on the lower part of the body, or describing entertainme
not wearing any clothes on the lower part of the body, or describing entertainment venues where performers are nude below the waist
The club on the outskirts of town was known for its bottomless dancers.
collocation: bottomless dancers / bottomless performers / bottomless bar
Local laws prohibit bottomless performances in venues without a special entertainment license.
The beach had a section for naturists, though being fully bottomless was discouraged by staff.
Protesters argued that the new regulations unfairly targeted bottomless entertainment venues.
文法句型
bottomless + noun (bar, club, entertainment, waitress)
用法筆記
Can be considered offensive or sexually suggestive in some contexts. More commonly used to describe entertainment venues and performances than to describe individuals directly. In legal or regulatory texts, nude or unclothed are more neutral alternatives.