English Reference
Idiom idiom

butt up


To touch closely, to scrape (against); to press firmly (against).

Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.


SIMPLE

The fence butts up against the neighbor's garden.

CONTEXTUAL

The new kitchen cabinets butt up against the wall, leaving no space for dust to gather.

COMPLEX

The old stone cottage butts up against the steep cliffside, appearing as though it might slide into the sea at any moment.


Related idioms8entries
  1. 01

    bust one's butt

    To work exceptionally hard.

  2. 02

    butt heads

    To argue uncompromisingly.

  3. 03

    butt in

    To join a conversation or situation in which one is not welcome or invited; to interject (connotes a rude or discourteous interruption).

  4. 04

    full butt

    headfirst with full force

  5. 05

    get one's butt somewhere

    Go somewhere, especially quickly.

  6. 06

    kick butt

    To be impressive; to be decisively good or pleasant.

  7. 07

    nuts to butts

    Closely one behind the other.

  8. 08

    show one's butt

    To misbehave or act defiantly.

Last updated August 10, 2026