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button

Pronunciation: /ˈbʌt(ə)n/
Translate button | into French | into German | into Italian | into Spanish
Definition of button

noun

  • 1a small disc or knob sewn on to a garment, either to fasten it by being pushed through a slit made for the purpose or for decoration.
  • a small round object resembling a button:chocolate buttons
  • Fencing a knob fitted to the point of a foil to make it harmless.
  • used in reference to things of little worth:he will never give away anything that is worth a button
  • 2a small device on a piece of electrical or electronic equipment which is pressed to operate it.
  • 3chiefly North American a badge bearing a design or slogan and pinned to clothing.

verb

  • 1 [with object] fasten (clothing) with buttons:he buttoned up his jacket
  • (button someone into) fasten the buttons of a garment being worn by someone:he buttoned himself into the raincoat
  • [no object] (of a garment) be fastened with buttons:a dress which buttoned down the front
  • 2 (usually in imperative button it) informal stop talking.

Phrases

button one's lip

informal stop or refrain from talking.

on the button

informal, chiefly US
punctually:we arrived at 5.20 on the button
exactly right:the programme is right on the button every time

press the button

informal initiate an action or train of events (often used to refer to the ease with which a nuclear war might be started).

push (or press) someone's buttons

informal arouse or provoke a reaction in someone:don’t allow co-workers to push your buttons

Phrasal Verbs

button something up

informal complete or conclude something satisfactorily:they’ve buttoned up the league title by opening up a seven points gap
(often as adjective buttoned up) repress or inhibit something:it was repressive enough to keep public opinion buttoned up

Derivatives

buttoned

adjective
[in combination]:a gold-buttoned blazer

buttonless

adjective

Origin:

Middle English: from Old French bouton, of Germanic origin and related to butt1

button in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of button in the US English dictionary

Nearby words

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