Forms: 4–6 botel, 5 bottelle, 5–6 botell(e, 6 bottel, 6–7 bottell, 7 botle, 6– bottle. [a. OF. botel, dim. of *bot, masc. form = botte bundle.]

1

  1.  A bundle of hay or straw: now somewhat local in use. To look for a needle in a bottle of hay: to engage in a hopeless search. Cf. Needle in a haystack.

2

c. 1386.  Chaucer, Maunc. Prol., 14. Although it be nat worth a Botel hey.

3

c. 1485.  Digby Myst. (1882), ii. 85. A peck of otys and a botell of haye.

4

1530.  Palsgr., 620. He is aboue in the haye lofte makynge botelles.

5

1578.  Scotter Manor Roll, in Peacock, N. Linc. Gloss. (E. D. S.), s.v., No man shall gett anie bottells of furres [i.e., furze].

6

1592.  Greene, Upst. Courtier (1871), 4 b. He … gropeth in the dark to find a needle in a bottle of hay.

7

1617.  in Hearne, Coll. (1885), I. 53. Hay being 20s. a load, the Penny Bottle ought to wey 311/12.

8

1798.  D. Graham, Wks., II. 120. Shaking down two bottles of straw.

9

a. 1845.  Hood, Lost Heir, ii. A child as is lost about London streets … is a needle in a bottle of hay.

10

  2.  Bottle-horse, a horse for carrying bundles or packages, a pack-horse.

11

1461–83.  Ord. R. Househ., 75. This office [of Sellar] hath a sumpter-man and horse, and also a bottle-horse. Ibid. (1469), (1790), 97. Item, A maile horse and a botell horse.

12