English Reference

Word

butt

US/ˈbət/

UK/bˈʌt/

Definitions

01body part

B1

n. the part of the body that you sit on.

n. the buttocks or posterior of a person. Informal in register; widely used in American English as a standard colloquialism.

“He fell right on his butt after slipping on the icy sidewalk.”

“The trainer told the athletes to keep their butts down during the squat to ensure proper form and avoid lower back strain.”

Informal · American English

02end of a tool or weapon

B2

n. the thicker or blunt end of a tool, handle, or gun.

n. the larger or thicker end of an object, such as the stock of a rifle or the handle of a tool.

“He held the butt of the rifle firmly against his shoulder before firing.”

“The carpenter used the butt of his chisel to tap the wood into place when he couldn't find his mallet.”

Synonyms

Antonyms

03cigarette end

B1

n. the small part of a cigarette that is left after it has been smoked.

n. the unconsumed end of a smoked cigarette or cigar.

“The sidewalk was covered in cigarette butts outside the office building.”

“Environmental groups have highlighted that discarded cigarette butts are one of the most common forms of plastic pollution in urban waterways.”

Synonyms

04target of a joke

B2

n. a person who is the target of a joke or criticism.

n. a person who is the subject of ridicule or the target of a joke, typically in the phrase 'butt of the joke'.

“Poor Sam was always the butt of the joke in his group of friends.”

“Despite being the butt of the comedian's opening monologue, the politician maintained a graceful and smiling exterior throughout the event.”

Synonyms

targetvictimlaughingstock

05large barrel

C2

n. a very large wooden barrel used for holding wine or water.

n. a large cask or barrel for liquids, specifically one with a capacity of 126 gallons.

“The cellar was filled with massive butts of aging sherry.”

“The historical inventory listed several butts of Malmsey wine stored in the lower hold of the merchant vessel.”

Technical · Archaic

Synonyms

06to hit with the head

B2

v. to hit someone or something hard with your head.

v. to strike or push something bluntly with the head, as seen in certain animals or contact sports.

“The goat tried to butt the gate open to get to the grass.”

“The striker was sent off after he appeared to butt the opposing defender during a heated argument near the goalpost.”

Synonyms

07to join or touch

C1

v. to be right next to something or touch it at the edge.

v. to meet or join at an end or boundary; to abut.

“The two pieces of wood should butt together perfectly without a gap.”

“The architect specified that the marble tiles should butt against the hardwood flooring to create a seamless transition between the two rooms.”

Technical

Synonyms

abutborderadjoin

Word family

buttNounbutterNoun

Idioms

bust one's butt — To work exceptionally hard.

butt heads — To argue uncompromisingly.

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

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

full butt — headfirst with full force

get one's butt somewhere — Go somewhere, especially quickly.

kick butt — To be impressive; to be decisively good or pleasant.

nuts to butts — Closely one behind the other.

show one's butt — To misbehave or act defiantly.

Domain

Nautical

This entry

Level
B1 · Intermediate
Frequency
Common
Updated

Scan code

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English Reference