# hold by the button

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/hold-by-the-button
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To detain in conversation to the point of weariness or tedium; to bore while tallking to

## Examples

- He held me by the button for an hour about his garden.
- I tried to leave the party early, but my neighbor held me by the button to discuss his recent vacation.
- The elderly man held me by the button, recounting endless stories of his youth until I was desperate to find an excuse to depart.

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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.