# butt up

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/butt-up
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

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

## Examples

- The fence butts up against the neighbor's garden.
- The new kitchen cabinets butt up against the wall, leaving no space for dust to gather.
- The old stone cottage butts up against the steep cliffside, appearing as though it might slide into the sea at any moment.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.