# sew buttons

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/sew-buttons
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

Used in response to someone asking "so?"

## Examples

- A: So? B: Sew buttons.
- When he asked me what I thought about his bad idea, I just told him to sew buttons.
- She grew tired of his constant, prying questions and finally dismissed his curiosity by telling him to sew buttons.

## Origin

The idiom relies upon the homophony between the conjunction *so* and the verb *sew*. It is a punning response employed when an interlocutor concludes a statement with *so*, the phonetic coincidence allowing for the suggestion that the speaker ought to finish the job by attaching buttons.

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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.