bottle it

== English == === Etymology === From Cockney rhyming slang bottle and glass, originally meaning arse. lose one's nerve was vulgarly lose one's arse, euphemised to lose one's bottle, clipped to bottle and subsequently given a dummy pronoun. See bottle. === Verb === bottle it (third-person singular simple present bottles it, present participle bottling it, simple past and past participle bottled it) (UK, informal, Cockney rhyming slang) To suppress an action or expression, especially when due to lack of courage. To lose one's nerve. To run away, especially when due to lack of courage. (especially sports) To fail in an embarrassing way in a crucial situation, especially due to nerves. ==== See also ==== bottle out ==== References ==== “bottle it” (UK) in Macmillan English Dictionary. “bottle it”, in Collins English Dictionary.