bottoming out

Verb

bottom out (third-person singular simple present bottoms out, present participle bottoming out, simple past and past participle bottomed out)

1. (intransitive) To reach the bottom; to reach the nadir or lowest point.
2. (idiomatic) Of a vehicle, to touch or drag along the ground or other surface.
   • Going over that speed bump, my car bottomed out.
3. (idiomatic) Of a vessel, to touch the bottom of a water body.
4. Of a suspension or similar device, to strike the lower mechanical stop and lose the ability to buffer further downward motion.
   • The hard landing caused the oleos to bottom out and the gear struts collapsed.
5. (intransitive, slang) To fully anally penetrate.
6. (idiomatic, intransitive) To be, at a basic level.
   • The problem bottoms out into a management issue.