but·ton [buttonbuttonsbuttonedbuttoning] noun, verb BrE [ˈbʌtn] NAmE [ˈbʌtn] noun 1. a small round piece of metal, plastic, etc. that is sewn onto a piece of clothing and used for fastening two parts together: (BrE)to do up/undo your buttons • (NAmE)to button/unbutton your buttons •to sew on a button •shirt buttons •a row of gilt buttons 2. a small part of a machine that you press to make it work •the play/stop/rewind button • Adam pressed a button and waited for the lift. • Choose ‘printer’ from the menu and click with the right mouse button. •The windows slide down at the touch of a button. see also ↑push-button 3. a small area on a computer screen that you click on to make it do sth •Click on the back button to go back to the previous screen. 4. (especially NAmE)a ↑badge, especially one with a message printed on it •He wore a button saying ‘Life begins at 40!’ see also ↑belly button more at bright as a button at ↑brightadj.
Word Origin: Middle English: from Old French bouton, of Germanic origin and related to the verb ↑butt.
Thesaurus: button noun C •Press the red button. key • • control • • switch • • lever • • knob • • dial • (a) button/key/the controls/switch/lever/knob/dial on sth press a button/key/switch/lever push a button/switch/lever turn a knob/dial
Example Bank: •He carries around an old backpack with peace buttons on it. •My coat has lost a button. •She hit the alarm button as fast as she could. •She wore a ‘Vote Yes’ lapel button. •The candidates all distributed campaign buttons and bumper stickers. •The remote control allows you to change channel at the touch of a button. •The top button of his shirt was undone. •There was a button missing from his shirt. •They all wore buttons saying ‘Stop the war’. •Adam pressed a button and waited for the doors to open. •His fingers fumbled to do up/button the small buttons on his shirt. •I need to sew this button back on. •The windows slide down at the touch of a button. •the play/stop/rewind button •to button/unbutton your buttons •to do up/undo your buttons Idioms: ↑button it!▪ ↑on the button▪ ↑push all the buttons▪ ↑push somebody's buttons
verb 1. transitive ~ sth (up) to fasten sth with buttons •She hurriedly buttoned (up) her blouse. 2. intransitive ~ (up) to be fastened with buttons •The dress buttons (up) at the back. Verb forms:
Word Origin: Middle English: from Old French bouton, of Germanic origin and related to the verb ↑butt.
Example Bank: •He buttoned up his shirt. •She buttoned the child into his coat. •The dress buttons at the back.
