— butterless , adj. — butterlike , adj.
/but"euhr/ , n.
1. the fatty portion of milk, separating as a soft whitish or yellowish solid when milk or cream is agitated or churned.
2. this substance, processed for cooking and table use.
3. any of various other soft spreads for bread: apple butter; peanut butter.
4. any of various substances of butterlike consistency, as various metallic chlorides, and certain vegetable oils solid at ordinary temperatures.
v.t.
5. to put butter on or in; spread or grease with butter.
6. to apply a liquefied bonding material to (a piece or area), as mortar to a course of bricks.
7. Metalworking. to cover (edges to be welded together) with a preliminary surface of the weld metal.
8. butter up , Informal. to flatter someone in order to gain a favor: He suspected that they were buttering him up when everyone suddenly started being nice to him.
[ bef. 1000; ME; OE butere butyrum boútyron ]