button up — to fasten a shirt, coat, etc. by putting buttons through buttonholes
Part of speech: VERB
Definition: to fasten a shirt, coat, etc. by putting buttons through buttonholes
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈbʌtən ʌp/
Example Sentences
- My grandmother always told me to button up my jacket or I'd catch a cold from the 'button flu'!
- The boss walked in, so everyone decided to button up about the surprise party.
- He buttoned up his shirt so fast, he looked like a magician making buttons disappear!
button up
VERB[/ˈbʌtən ʌp/]
to fasten a shirt, coat, etc. by putting buttons through buttonholes
a young professional stands in front of a mirror carefully threading buttons through buttonholes on a crisp white dress shirt. Their fingers work methodically from bottom to top, securing each button in place. The shirt transforms from hanging open to neatly closed as more buttons get fastened. A roommate sits on the bed nearby, also getting ready for work by putting on shoes. The morning routine continues peacefully around them as both prepare for their day. the action of fastening a shirt by putting buttons through buttonholes
Cut it up, button it up, then shut it up!
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
Button derives from 14th-century French 'bouton,' originally meaning 'bud' or 'flower bud.' The term was applied to clothing fasteners due to their rounded, bulbous shape resembling botanical buds. The phrasal verb 'button up' emerged as the fastening action became associated with the noun.
Breakdown
bouton (bud, from Old French boter meaning to push or swell) + up (upward direction, completing the fastening action). The morphological combination creates a phrasal verb indicating the action of closing or fastening something with buttons.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“My grandmother always told me to button up my jacket or I'd catch a cold from the 'button flu'!”
“The boss walked in, so everyone decided to button up about the surprise party.”
“He buttoned up his shirt so fast, he looked like a magician making buttons disappear!”
“Please button up your coat before going outside in this weather.”
📚Related Words
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