button

but|ton¹ S2 [ˈbʌtn] n

[Date: 1300-1400; : Old French; Origin: boton, from boter; BUTT²]

1.) a small round flat object on your shirt, coat etc which you pass through a hole to fasten it

▪ small pearl buttons

▪ A button was missing from his shirt.

▪ She undid (=unfastened) the buttons of her blouse.

do up a button

BrE (=fasten a button)

2.) a small part or area of a machine that you press to make it do something

▪ Press the pause button .

▪ Click on the icon with the right mouse button .

3.) a small area on a computer screen, especially on a website, that you ↑click on in order to perform an action

4.) AmE a small metal or plastic pin with a message or picture on it

British Equivalent: badge

▪ presidential campaign buttons

5.) button nose/eyes

a nose or eyes that are small and round

6.) on the button

especially AmE informal exactly right, or at exactly the right time

▪ She got to our house at two, on the button.

7.) press/push (all) the right buttons

to get what you want by behaving in a clever way

▪ She seemed to push all the right buttons.

8.) press/push sb's buttons

to make someone angry by doing or saying something that annoys them

▪ He really knows how to push Dad's buttons.

9.) at/with the push/touch of a button

used to emphasize how easy a machine is to use because it is controlled by pushing a button

▪ The instrument can gauge a distance with the push of a button.

→as bright as a button at ↑bright

button ²

button² v [I and T]

1.) also button up

to fasten clothes with buttons or to be fastened with buttons

▪ Sam, make sure Nina buttons up her jacket.

2.) button it!

BrE button your lip/mouth AmE spoken used to tell someone in a rude way to stop talking