bottle (it/things) up
Meaning(s)
1. stop yourself from expressing or showing something
Popularity
High
Professional
High
Social
How to Memorize
bottle up your true feelings about something/someone
Analysis
To 'bottle up something means to contain a feeling or emotion and to avoid expressing it. When you 'bottle up' something you internalise your feelings and keep them guarded against others.
Social Examples (Basic)
- A lot of people are not honest about how they feel. Instead they choose to bottle up their true emotions.
- Emily never wants to talk about the accident. It cannot be good for her to bottle things up like that.
Professional Examples (Basic)
- I don't want anyone in the office to harbour resentments. If you have an issue with someone, let them know instead of bottling it up and allowing it to fester.
- I have kept it bottled up for long enough. I have to tell you that I am having some personal issues at home and I am struggling with my workload at the moment.