I. but ‧ ter 1 S2 /ˈbʌtə $ -ər/ BrE AmE noun [uncountable]
[ Language: Old English ; Origin: butere , from Latin butyrum , from Greek boutyron , from bous 'cow' + tyros 'cheese' ]
1 . a solid yellow food made from milk or cream that you spread on bread or use in cooking ⇨ ↑ bread-and-butter
2 . butter wouldn’t melt in sb’s mouth used to say that someone seems to be very kind and sincere but is not really
—buttery adjective
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COLLOCATIONS
■ adjectives
▪ salted/unsalted (=with or without salt in it)
Unsalted butter is better for baking.
|
Most butter is slightly salted.
▪ melted butter (=heated until it is liquid)
Brush the pastry with a little melted butter.
■ phrases
▪ a pat of butter (=a small flat piece)
Breakfast was a small roll and a pat of butter.
▪ a knob of butter (=a small round piece)
Add a knob of butter to the meat juices in the pan.
▪ a lump of butter
He served himself a big lump of butter.
■ verbs
▪ spread butter on something
Lee was spreading butter on his toast.
▪ spread something with butter
Spread the warm crumpets with butter.
▪ melt butter
Melt the butter and mix it with the other ingredients.
▪ soften butter
First soften the butter in a warm place.
II. butter 2 BrE AmE verb [transitive]
to spread butter on something:
buttered toast
butter somebody ↔ up phrasal verb
informal to say nice things to someone so that they will do what you want:
Don’t think you can butter me up that easily.