BOTTLENECK Definition & Meaning

View synonyms for

bottleneck

[ bot-l-nek ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

a narrow entrance or passageway.
a place or stage in a process at which progress is impeded.
Also called slide guitar. a method of guitar playing that produces a gliding sound by pressing a metal bar or glass tube against the strings.

verb (used with object)

to hamper or confine by or as if by a bottleneck.

verb (used without object)

to become hindered by or as if by a bottleneck.

bottleneck

/ ˈ��ɒ��ə��ˌ��ɛ�� /

noun

1. a narrow stretch of road or a junction at which traffic is or may be held up
2. the hold up
something that holds up progress, esp of a manufacturing process
music
1. the broken-off neck of a bottle placed over a finger and used to produce a buzzing effect in a style of guitar-playing originally part of the American blues tradition
2. the style of guitar playing using a bottleneck

verb

tr to be or cause an obstruction in

bottleneck

/ ��ŏ��′��-��ĕ��′ /

An abrupt and severe reduction in the number of individuals during the history of a species, resulting in the loss of diversity from the gene pool. The generations following the bottleneck are more genetically homogenous than would otherwise be expected. Bottlenecks often occur in consequence of a catastrophic event.

bottleneck

The point at which an industry or economic system has to slow its growth because one or more of its components cannot keep up with demand .

Discover More

51�Թ� History and Origins

Origin of bottleneck¹

First recorded in 1895–1900; bottle ¹ + neck

Discover More

Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

The immigration courts are notoriously bottlenecked, with more than 3 million pending cases.

From

Yet it is now used by more traffic than it was ever designed for, instead creating a bottleneck that frequently blocks up the M25.

From

The changes to the queue were driven, in part, by other forces as well, namely to ensure the winding line was up to modern ADA standards and to better handle bottlenecks for Disneyland’s current crowds.

From

"This has been a bottleneck for a while. We know the underlying model is capable of doing better, but people didn't know why this is happening with 3D shapes," Lukoianov says.

From

The cuts come as the firm's profits fall even as its sales rise, with the plane maker admitting in July it was struggling with "bottlenecks" in its supply chain.

From

Related 51�Թ�s

Browse