BOTTLENECK

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does bottleneck mean? 

• BOTTLENECK (noun)
  The noun BOTTLENECK has 2 senses:

1. a narrowing that reduces the flow through a channel

2. the narrow part of a bottle near the top

  Familiarity information: BOTTLENECK used as a noun is rare.

• BOTTLENECK (verb)
  The verb BOTTLENECK has 2 senses:

1. slow down or impede by creating an obstruction

2. become narrow, like a bottleneck

  Familiarity information: BOTTLENECK used as a verb is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• BOTTLENECK (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A narrowing that reduces the flow through a channel

Classified under:

Nouns denoting two and three dimensional shapes

Synonyms:

bottleneck; chokepoint; constriction

Hypernyms ("bottleneck" is a kind of...):

narrowing (an instance of becoming narrow)

Derivation:

bottleneck (become narrow, like a bottleneck)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The narrow part of a bottle near the top

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("bottleneck" is a kind of...):

part; portion (something less than the whole of a human artifact)

• BOTTLENECK (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they bottleneck    ... he / she / it bottlenecks   
Past simple: bottlenecked   
Past participle: bottlenecked   
-ing form: bottlenecking   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Slow down or impede by creating an obstruction

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Context example:

His laziness has bottlenecked our efforts to reform the system

Hypernyms (to "bottleneck" is one way to...):

block; blockade; embarrass; hinder; obstruct; stymie; stymy (hinder or prevent the progress or accomplishment of)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sense 2

Meaning:

Become narrow, like a bottleneck

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context example:

Right by the bridge, the road bottlenecks

Hypernyms (to "bottleneck" is one way to...):

contract; narrow (make or become more narrow or restricted)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Derivation:

bottleneck (a narrowing that reduces the flow through a channel)

 Context examples 

While cultivated tomatoes have a wide range of physical and metabolic variation, there have been several severe bottlenecks during its domestication and breeding.

(Tomato Pan-Genome Makes Bringing Flavor Back Easier, Agricultural Research Service)

Neither of these effects was immediately detrimental for valve cells, but the trapping made it more likely for oxygen to react with LDL molecules, and the accumulation of oxidized LDL appeared to be a bottleneck event for a multi-stage process toward valve cell damage.

(New Hope for Stopping An Understudied Heart Disease in Its Tracks, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)