"rock bottom" meaning in English

See rock bottom in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Noun

Audio: En-au-rock bottom.ogg
Etymology: Derives from the sub-stratum of the sea-floor, situated below the sand. Head templates: {{en-noun|-}} rock bottom (uncountable)
  1. (idiomatic) The very lowest possible level. Tags: idiomatic, uncountable Translations (the very lowest possible level): най-ниско ниво (naj-nisko nivo) (Bulgarian), дъно (dǎno) [neuter] (Bulgarian), 最低点 (Chinese Mandarin), 最低水平 (Chinese Mandarin), pohja (Finnish), pohjanoteeraus (Finnish), kaikkein alin taso (Finnish), alin mahdollinen taso (Finnish), fond du trou [masculine] (French), fondo del barile [masculine] (Italian), どん底 (donzoko) (alt: どんぞこ) (Japanese), samo dno [neuter] (Polish), fundo do poço [masculine] (Portuguese), дно дна (dno dna) [feminine] (Serbo-Croatian)
    Sense id: en-rock_bottom-en-noun-9ZhnM9gl Disambiguation of 'the very lowest possible level': 90 10
  2. (idiomatic) The lowest possible state in one’s life, whether mentally, socially, or otherwise; often, a period of extreme mental stress, homelessness, or rejection by all friends and family. Tags: idiomatic, uncountable
    Sense id: en-rock_bottom-en-noun-XWXb0E4Q Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header, Entries with translation boxes, Pages with 1 entry, Pages with entries, Terms with Bulgarian translations, Terms with Finnish translations, Terms with French translations, Terms with Italian translations, Terms with Japanese translations, Terms with Mandarin translations, Terms with Polish translations, Terms with Portuguese translations, Terms with Serbo-Croatian translations Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 15 85 Disambiguation of Entries with translation boxes: 9 91 Disambiguation of Pages with 1 entry: 7 93 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 5 95 Disambiguation of Terms with Bulgarian translations: 9 91 Disambiguation of Terms with Finnish translations: 10 90 Disambiguation of Terms with French translations: 5 95 Disambiguation of Terms with Italian translations: 5 95 Disambiguation of Terms with Japanese translations: 5 95 Disambiguation of Terms with Mandarin translations: 9 91 Disambiguation of Terms with Polish translations: 9 91 Disambiguation of Terms with Portuguese translations: 9 91 Disambiguation of Terms with Serbo-Croatian translations: 10 90
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Related terms: at bottom, bottom dollar, hit rock bottom, reach rock bottom

Alternative forms

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  "etymology_text": "Derives from the sub-stratum of the sea-floor, situated below the sand.",
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "-"
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      "expansion": "rock bottom (uncountable)",
      "name": "en-noun"
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  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "related": [
    {
      "_dis1": "56 44",
      "word": "at bottom"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "56 44",
      "word": "bottom dollar"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "56 44",
      "word": "hit rock bottom"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "56 44",
      "word": "reach rock bottom"
    }
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  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "Pork belly futures have hit rock bottom.",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2021 October 20, Angie Doll explains to Paul Clifton, “We were absolutely at rock bottom...”, in RAIL, number 942, page 34:",
          "text": "\"We were absolutely at rock bottom. Our passengers didn't like us. Our stakeholders didn't like us. Our own staff didn't like us.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2022 August 29, Damian Carrington, “Major sea-level rise caused by melting of Greenland ice cap is ‘now inevitable’”, in The Guardian:",
          "text": "“It is a very conservative rock-bottom minimum,” said Prof Jason Box from the National Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (Geus), who led the research. “Realistically, we will see this figure more than double within this century.”",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2023 June 6, Jim Waterson, Kiran Stacey, quoting Prince Harry, “Britain’s government and press at rock bottom, Prince Harry tells court”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:",
          "text": "Harry told the high court that “our country is judged globally by the state of our press and our government, both of which I believe are at rock bottom”.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "The very lowest possible level."
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      "id": "en-rock_bottom-en-noun-9ZhnM9gl",
      "links": [
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          "very",
          "very"
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        [
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          "possible"
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          "level",
          "level"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(idiomatic) The very lowest possible level."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "idiomatic",
        "uncountable"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "90 10",
          "code": "bg",
          "lang": "Bulgarian",
          "roman": "naj-nisko nivo",
          "sense": "the very lowest possible level",
          "word": "най-ниско ниво"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "90 10",
          "code": "bg",
          "lang": "Bulgarian",
          "roman": "dǎno",
          "sense": "the very lowest possible level",
          "tags": [
            "neuter"
          ],
          "word": "дъно"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "90 10",
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "sense": "the very lowest possible level",
          "word": "最低点"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "90 10",
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "sense": "the very lowest possible level",
          "word": "最低水平"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "90 10",
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "the very lowest possible level",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "fond du trou"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "90 10",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "the very lowest possible level",
          "word": "pohja"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "90 10",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "the very lowest possible level",
          "word": "pohjanoteeraus"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "90 10",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "the very lowest possible level",
          "word": "kaikkein alin taso"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "90 10",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "the very lowest possible level",
          "word": "alin mahdollinen taso"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "90 10",
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "sense": "the very lowest possible level",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "fondo del barile"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "90 10",
          "alt": "どんぞこ",
          "code": "ja",
          "lang": "Japanese",
          "roman": "donzoko",
          "sense": "the very lowest possible level",
          "word": "どん底"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "90 10",
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "sense": "the very lowest possible level",
          "tags": [
            "neuter"
          ],
          "word": "samo dno"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "90 10",
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "the very lowest possible level",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "fundo do poço"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "90 10",
          "code": "sh",
          "lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
          "roman": "dno dna",
          "sense": "the very lowest possible level",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "дно дна"
        }
      ]
    },
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      "categories": [
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          "_dis": "15 85",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
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          "_dis": "9 91",
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          "_dis": "5 95",
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          "_dis": "5 95",
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          "_dis": "5 95",
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          "_dis": "9 91",
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          "_dis": "9 91",
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          "_dis": "10 90",
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      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "Some people believe that mental illnesses can't be treated unless the person hits rock bottom first.",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2020 October 14, Phil McNulty, “England 0-1 Denmark: 'Harry Maguire looked devoid of confidence in Nations League loss'”, in BBC Sport:",
          "text": "when referee Jesus Gil Manzano showed him the red card, Maguire resembled an individual who had hit rock bottom.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "The lowest possible state in one’s life, whether mentally, socially, or otherwise; often, a period of extreme mental stress, homelessness, or rejection by all friends and family."
      ],
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          "mental"
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        [
          "social",
          "social"
        ],
        [
          "extreme",
          "extreme"
        ],
        [
          "stress",
          "stress"
        ],
        [
          "homelessness",
          "homelessness"
        ],
        [
          "rejection",
          "rejection"
        ],
        [
          "friends",
          "friends"
        ],
        [
          "family",
          "family"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(idiomatic) The lowest possible state in one’s life, whether mentally, socially, or otherwise; often, a period of extreme mental stress, homelessness, or rejection by all friends and family."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "idiomatic",
        "uncountable"
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    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
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      "audio": "En-au-rock bottom.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/f/fd/En-au-rock_bottom.ogg/En-au-rock_bottom.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fd/En-au-rock_bottom.ogg"
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  "word": "rock bottom"
}
{
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    "Entries with translation boxes",
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  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "related": [
    {
      "word": "at bottom"
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    {
      "word": "bottom dollar"
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    {
      "word": "hit rock bottom"
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      "word": "reach rock bottom"
    }
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          "text": "Pork belly futures have hit rock bottom.",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2021 October 20, Angie Doll explains to Paul Clifton, “We were absolutely at rock bottom...”, in RAIL, number 942, page 34:",
          "text": "\"We were absolutely at rock bottom. Our passengers didn't like us. Our stakeholders didn't like us. Our own staff didn't like us.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2022 August 29, Damian Carrington, “Major sea-level rise caused by melting of Greenland ice cap is ‘now inevitable’”, in The Guardian:",
          "text": "“It is a very conservative rock-bottom minimum,” said Prof Jason Box from the National Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (Geus), who led the research. “Realistically, we will see this figure more than double within this century.”",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2023 June 6, Jim Waterson, Kiran Stacey, quoting Prince Harry, “Britain’s government and press at rock bottom, Prince Harry tells court”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:",
          "text": "Harry told the high court that “our country is judged globally by the state of our press and our government, both of which I believe are at rock bottom”.",
          "type": "quote"
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      ],
      "glosses": [
        "The very lowest possible level."
      ],
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      "raw_glosses": [
        "(idiomatic) The very lowest possible level."
      ],
      "tags": [
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          "ref": "2020 October 14, Phil McNulty, “England 0-1 Denmark: 'Harry Maguire looked devoid of confidence in Nations League loss'”, in BBC Sport:",
          "text": "when referee Jesus Gil Manzano showed him the red card, Maguire resembled an individual who had hit rock bottom.",
          "type": "quote"
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      "glosses": [
        "The lowest possible state in one’s life, whether mentally, socially, or otherwise; often, a period of extreme mental stress, homelessness, or rejection by all friends and family."
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      "raw_glosses": [
        "(idiomatic) The lowest possible state in one’s life, whether mentally, socially, or otherwise; often, a period of extreme mental stress, homelessness, or rejection by all friends and family."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "idiomatic",
        "uncountable"
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  "sounds": [
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      "audio": "En-au-rock bottom.ogg",
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  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "bg",
      "lang": "Bulgarian",
      "roman": "naj-nisko nivo",
      "sense": "the very lowest possible level",
      "word": "най-ниско ниво"
    },
    {
      "code": "bg",
      "lang": "Bulgarian",
      "roman": "dǎno",
      "sense": "the very lowest possible level",
      "tags": [
        "neuter"
      ],
      "word": "дъно"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "sense": "the very lowest possible level",
      "word": "最低点"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "sense": "the very lowest possible level",
      "word": "最低水平"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "the very lowest possible level",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "fond du trou"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "the very lowest possible level",
      "word": "pohja"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "the very lowest possible level",
      "word": "pohjanoteeraus"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "the very lowest possible level",
      "word": "kaikkein alin taso"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "the very lowest possible level",
      "word": "alin mahdollinen taso"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "the very lowest possible level",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "fondo del barile"
    },
    {
      "alt": "どんぞこ",
      "code": "ja",
      "lang": "Japanese",
      "roman": "donzoko",
      "sense": "the very lowest possible level",
      "word": "どん底"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "the very lowest possible level",
      "tags": [
        "neuter"
      ],
      "word": "samo dno"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "the very lowest possible level",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "fundo do poço"
    },
    {
      "code": "sh",
      "lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
      "roman": "dno dna",
      "sense": "the very lowest possible level",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "дно дна"
    }
  ],
  "word": "rock bottom"
}

Download raw JSONL data for rock bottom meaning in English (5.6kB)


This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-12-15 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-12-04 using wiktextract (8a39820 and 4401a4c). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.