bottoming

Noun

bottoming (plural bottomings)

1. The act of something that bottoms; the point at which something bottoms (in various senses).
   • In the course of this investigation, it was learned that the mean number of bottomings per second could be calculated theoretically […]1961, The Shock and Vibration Bulletin (issue 29, part 4, page 159)
   • A hundred and fifty yards from its bottoming, the cliff trail squeezed between a pair of portal rocks.1961, Clay Fisher, The Apache Kid, page 135
2. A foundation (literal and figurative senses).
   • These and the like are the maine truths in your esteeme, which I conceive have no bottoming in the holy Scripture.1642, John Ball, An Answer to Two Treatises of Mr. John Can, page 44
   • a road made with six inches of broken stone of great hardness, laid either on a foundation of large stones, set in the form of a pavement, or upon a bottoming of concrete1851, Henry Mayhew, London Labour and the London Poor, volume 2, page 184
3. Material used to line the bottom of something.
   • […] we were overtaken by a storm, and camped ten miles short of the ranch; we could afford to do this, as his wagon had a good tilt and a bottoming of straw.1885, W. Shepherd, Prairie Experiences in Handling Cattle and Sheep, page 85
   • A bottoming of linen or hessian covering can be omitted if the outside covering is folded under whilst being tacked on the underside of the base members.1984, Robert J. McDonald, Basic Upholstery Repair and Restoration, page 114
4. A substance used to prepare a material for dyeing.
   • Sumach is generally used as a bottoming when the metallic base or mordant is iron or tin, and for dyeing deep colours, such as blacks, reds, &c.1875, James Napier, A Manual of Dyeing and Dyeing Receipts, page 220
   • For white-haired calf’s-skin a bottoming of walnut or gallnut extract is used.1917, The Journal of the Society of Chemical Industry, volume 36, page 594
5. Residue left at the bottom of something.
   • [His porridge] was, as usual, composed of the scraps and bottomings of bowls which had been left unfinished by the rest of the household.1899, S. R. Crockett, Kit Kennedy: Country Boy, page 218
   • […] the cage bottomings make a fine addition to the mulch pile.1977, Mervin F. Roberts, Guinea Pigs, page 14
6. (historical) The contouring of the wooden seat of a chair.
   • A critical feature seems to be the subtle contouring of the seat known as its ‘bottoming’. This was hand carved […]1986, Stephen Pheasant and Christine M. Haslegrave, Bodyspace: Anthropometry, Ergonomics, and the Design of Work, page 80
   • The sculpting, or bottoming of the seat should be well defined and quite deep, with smooth, boldly cut contours, to a certain extent mirroring the form it is intended to support.1993, The Buyer’s Guide to British Furniture Craftsmen, page 90
7. (UK, colloquial) The act of thoroughly cleaning something.
   • Mag gave [the office] a “bottoming” once a week with carbolic soap and disinfectant […]1970, Kathleen Eyre, Fylde Folk, Moss or Sand, page 55
   • ‘And I’ll give the place a proper bottoming, cupboards and all, before you’re back,’ said Mrs Pringle, in a tone which sounded more like a threat than a promise.1974, Miss Read, Farther Afield, pages 45-46