a slit made in a garment to receive a button for fastening.
British a flower or spray worn in a buttonhole on the lapel of a jacket.
verb
[with object]
1 informal attract the attention of and detain (someone) in conversation, typically against their will:reporters buttonhole officials coming out of the press secretary’s office
2make buttonholes in (a garment).
buttonhole in other Oxford dictionaries
Definition of buttonhole in the US English dictionary
