Citations:bottle


 * 1678 — John Bunyan. The Pilgrim's Progress.
 * Then I saw in my dream that these good companions, when Christian was gone to the bottom of the hill, gave him a loaf of bread, a bottle of wine, and a cluster of raisins; and then he went on his way.
 * He also sat down in that place to eat bread, and to drink of the bottle that was given him a little before; so, being refreshed, he addressed himself to his journey, with his sword drawn in his hand; for he said, I know not but some other enemy may be at hand.


 * 1719 — Daniel Defoe. Robinson Crusoe.
 * Alas! there the sorry, useless stuff lay; I had no more manner of business for it; and often thought with myself that I would have given a handful of it for a gross of tobacco-pipes; or for a hand-mill to grind my corn; nay, I would have given it all for a sixpenny-worth of turnip and carrot seed out of England, or for a handful of peas and beans, and a bottle of ink.
 * Under the power of this impression, I hastened back to my castle, prepared everything for my voyage, took a quantity of bread, a great pot of fresh water, a compass to steer by, a bottle of rum (for I had still a great deal of that left), and a basket of raisins; and thus, loading myself with everything necessary. I went down to my boat, got the water out of her, got her afloat, loaded all my cargo in her, and then went home again for more.
 * My second cargo was a great bag of rice, the umbrella to set up over my head for a shade, another large pot of water, and about two dozen of small loaves, or barley cakes, more than before, with a bottle of goat’s milk and a cheese; all which with great labour and sweat I carried to my boat; and praying to God to direct my voyage, I put out, and rowing or paddling the canoe along the shore, came at last to the utmost point of the island on the north-east side.


 * 1843 — Charles Dickens. A Christmas Carol.
 * It was their turn to laugh now at the notion of his shaking Scrooge. But being thoroughly good-natured, and not much caring what they laughed at, so that they laughed at any rate, he encouraged them in their merriment, and passed the bottle joyously.

bundle of hay etc

 * 1530, Palsgr., 620:
 * He is aboue in the haye lofte makynge botelles.
 * 1578, Scotter Manor Roll in Peacock, N Linc Gloss. (EDS) s v:
 * No man shall gett anie bottells of furres [i e furze].
 * 1592, Greene, Upst. Courtier (1871), 4 b:
 * He gropeth in the dark to find a needle in a bottle of hay.
 * 1617 in Hearne, Coll (1885) I, 53:
 * Hay being 20s. a load, the Penny Bottle ought to wey [...]
 * 1798, D Graham, Wks II, 120:
 * Shaking down two bottles of straw.
 * a 1845, Hood, Lost Heir II:
 * A child as is lost about London streets is a needle in a bottle of hay.