bottleneck

American  

[bot-l-nek] / ˈbɒt lˌnɛk /

noun

1. a narrow entrance or passageway.

2. a place or stage in a process at which progress is impeded.

3. 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.

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verb (used with object)

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

verb (used without object)

1. to become hindered by or as if by a bottleneck.

bottleneck British  

/ ˈbɒtəlˌnɛk /

noun

1. 1. a narrow stretch of road or a junction at which traffic is or may be held up

   2. the hold up

2. something that holds up progress, esp of a manufacturing process

3. 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

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verb

1. (tr) to be or cause an obstruction in

bottleneck Scientific  

/ bŏt′l-nĕk′ /

1. 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.

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bottleneck Cultural  

1. 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.

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Etymology

Origin of bottleneck

First recorded in 1895–1900; bottle ¹ + neck

Example Sentences

That can help, but the links between layers are often relatively rough, limited in number, and can become bottlenecks.

From Science Daily

In both Washington and Moscow, "there is a small margin to bring some weapons back into service, but the numbers cannot be very significant. There are bottlenecks" that will slow any buildup, she said.

From Barron's

But on the other hand it risks causing a "bottleneck", argues Gareth Dennis, a rail engineer, campaigner, and author of How the Railways Will Fix the Future.

From BBC

Parking stalls, a notorious bottleneck in the town of fewer than 3,000, were open.

From The Wall Street Journal

He says that investors’ more critical assessment of the AI sector’s balance sheets, potential returns on investment, likely margin compression and the problem of energy bottlenecks, is a good thing.

From MarketWatch

Related Words

• barrier
• blockage
• congestion
• hindrance
• impediment
• snag
• traffic jam