/ ˈbʌtə(r); NAmE / noun , verb
■ noun
[ U ] a soft yellow food made from cream or milk, used in cooking and for spreading on bread :
Fry the onions in butter.
—see also bread and butter , peanut butter
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IDIOMS
- butter wouldn't melt (in sb's mouth)
—more at knife verb
■ verb
[ vn ] to spread butter on sth :
She buttered four thick slices of bread.
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IDIOMS
see know verb
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PHRASAL VERBS
- butter sb up
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WORD ORIGIN
Old English butere , of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch boter and German Butter , based on Latin butyrum , from Greek bouturon .