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buttons

n.
US //ˈbətənz// UK //bˈʌtənz// but·tons
  1. 1 clothing fasteners (n.)
    A1 Beginner

    small, round objects on clothes that you push through holes to keep the garment closed.

    small disks or knobs sewn onto a garment to be pushed through a buttonhole as a fastener.

    Example

    The buttons on his shirt were so small he had trouble closing them.

    Example

    She replaced the plastic buttons on the vintage coat with ornate brass ones to give it a more sophisticated appearance.
    • zippers
  2. 2 machine controls (n.)
    A1 Beginner Computing

    parts of a machine or computer that you press to make it do something.

    small parts of an apparatus that are pressed to operate a device or trigger an electronic circuit.

    Example

    Don't press any buttons until the screen tells you to start.

    Example

    The technician explained that the red buttons were reserved for emergency shutdowns and should never be touched during routine operations.
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  1. 3 remote control (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Informal Dialect

    an informal name for a television remote control.

    a colloquial metonym for a remote control device, typically used in domestic settings.

    Example

    Pass me the buttons so I can change the channel to the news.

    Example

    In some regional dialects, families still refer to the television remote as 'the buttons', though this usage is declining among younger speakers.
  2. 4 sanity or mind (n.)
    C1 Advanced Informal Slang

    your mental health or ability to think clearly.

    a person's mental faculties or sanity; used in the idiom 'to lose one's buttons'.

    Example

    After working three night shifts in a row, I think I'm losing my buttons.

    Example

    The stress of the trial led many to believe the defendant had finally lost his buttons, as his testimony became increasingly erratic.
Idioms1 entry

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