copper-bottomed
adjEtymology
From the copper sheathing applied to the bottom of a wooden ship to prevent damage from marine organisms. In literal sense 18th century, in figurative sense attested since at least 1807. The British idiomatic use comes from the fact that with Britain being a major naval power, there was always a ready market for copper in ship construction, making it a reliable commodity to invest in.
Definitions
Having lower parts made of or covered by copper.
Thoroughly reliable
Thoroughly reliable; secure.
- The copper-bottomed angel at Messrs. Paff’s in Broadway.
The neighborhood
- neighborcopperfasten
- neighborcoppered
- neighborgilt-edged
Vish — recursive loop
No curated loop yet for copper-bottomed. Loops are being traced one word at a time while the ingestion pipeline matures.
sense glosses and etymology drawn from English Wiktionary · source · CC-BY-SA