How do you use "Bottled it" in a sentence?

They bottled the league again. He completely bottled the penalty. Tottenham? They always bottle it.

Bottled it

Q: What does "Bottled it" mean?

Choked under pressure; lost nerve at crucial moment. To 'bottle it' means to lose your nerve at a crucial moment—failing when it matters most. Applied to players who miss big chances, teams who collapse in title races, or anyone who cracks under pressure. The ultimate football insult.

Slang Term BritishAustralian ★★★★★ Very Common Casual

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Meaning: Choked under pressure; lost nerve at crucial moment.

在压力下崩溃；在关键时刻怯场。

Se acobardó bajo presión; perdió los nervios en el momento crucial.

プレッシャーに負けた。肝心な場面でビビった。

압박에 못 이겨 쫄았다. 결정적 순간에 겁먹고 실패했다.

To 'bottle it' means to lose your nerve at a crucial moment—failing when it matters most. Applied to players who miss big chances, teams who collapse in title races, or anyone who cracks under pressure. The ultimate football insult.

「bottle it」意思是在关键时刻怯场——在最重要的时候失败。用于错失良机的球员、在冠军争夺中崩盘的球队，或在压力下垮掉的任何人。足球中最严厉的侮辱之一。

«Bottle it» significa perder los nervios en un momento crucial: fallar cuando más importa. Se aplica a jugadores que fallan grandes ocasiones, equipos que se desmoronan en la lucha por el título o cualquiera que se viene abajo bajo presión. Es el insulto futbolístico definitivo.

「bottle it」は肝心な場面でビビること——最も重要な時に失敗すること。大きなチャンスを外す選手、優勝争いで崩れるチーム、プレッシャーに負ける人に使われる。フットボールにおける究極の侮辱。

'bottle it'은 결정적 순간에 겁을 먹고 실패하는 것을 뜻한다. 중요한 기회를 놓치는 선수, 우승 경쟁에서 무너지는 팀, 또는 압박에 굴복하는 사람에게 쓰인다. 축구에서 최고의 모욕 중 하나다.

Examples

They bottled the league again.
他们又在联赛中掉链子了
Volvieron a cagarse en la liga
「またリーグ優勝をビビって逃した」
또 리그 우승을 쫄아서 날렸다.
He completely bottled the penalty.
他罚点球时完全怯场了
Se acobardó completamente con el penalti
「PKを完全にビビって外した」
그는 페널티킥을 완전히 쫄아서 실축했다.
Tottenham? They always bottle it.
热刺？他们总是掉链子
¿El Tottenham? Siempre se acobardan
「トッテナム？いつもビビるよ」
토트넘? 걔네는 항상 쫄아.

Pronunciation

/ˈbɒtld ɪt/

Usage Guide

Context: failure, pressure, insult

Tone: critical, mocking

✓ Do Say

Bottled it
怯场了
se acobardó
ビビった
쫄았다
Bottle job
掉链子
acto de cobardía
ビビり
쫄보 짓
Lost their bottle
丧失了勇气
perdieron el coraje
度胸をなくした
배짱이 없어졌다

✗ Don't Say

Serious accusation in football—implies cowardice
在足球中是很严肃的指控——暗示怯懦
Es una acusación seria en el fútbol: implica cobardía
フットボールでは深刻な非難——臆病を意味する
축구에서 심각한 비난——비겁함을 암시한다

Common Mistakes

Not about actual bottles—rhyming slang origin

Origin & History

From Cockney rhyming slang 'bottle and glass' = arse (guts/courage). 'Losing your bottle' means losing your courage. Football adopted it for teams/players who fail under pressure. Tottenham fans particularly suffer this accusation.

Etymology: Cockney rhyming slang: bottle and glass = arse (courage)

First recorded: 1970s British slang

Cultural Context

Era: 1970s onwards

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal

Pop culture: Tottenham Hotspur; Title collapses

Regional notes: British/Australian football slang.

Variations

Bottled itBottle jobBottlers