/ ˈbʌtn; NAmE / noun , verb
■ 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
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.
( especially NAmE ) a badge , especially one with a message printed on it
—see also belly button
•
IDIOMS
see bright adjective
■ verb
1.
[ vn ] button sth (up) to fasten sth with buttons :
She hurriedly buttoned (up) her blouse.
2.
[ v ] button (up) to be fastened with buttons :
[ v ]
The dress buttons (up) at the back.
•
IDIOMS
- button it!
- on the button
- push all the (right) buttons
- push sb's buttons
••
WORD ORIGIN
Middle English : from Old French bouton , of Germanic origin and related to the verb butt .