Word
butt
US/ˈbət/
UK/bˈʌt/
Definitions
01body part
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
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.”
03cigarette end
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.”
04target of a joke
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.”
05large barrel
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
06to hit with the head
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.”
07to join or touch
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
Word family
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
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/butt