buttoning

as inlock

as insecure
as inclose
as infasten

Word Origin & History

c.1300 (surname Botouner "button-maker" attested from mid-13c.), from Old French boton "a button," originally "a bud" (12c., Modern French bouton), from bouter, boter "to thrust," common Romanic (cf. Spanish boton, Italian bottone), ultimately from Germanic (see butt (v.)). Thus a button is, etymologically, something that pushes up, or thrusts out.

Meaning "point of the chin" is pugilistic slang, by 1921. A button as something you push to create an effect by closing an (electrical) circuit is attested from 1840s. Button-pusher as "deliberately annoying or provocative person" is attested by 1990 (in reference to Bill Gates, in "InfoWorld" magazine, Nov. 19). In the 1980s it meant "photographer."

Example Sentences for buttoning

"Yes," answered Dorothy, buttoning her glove and glancing at the clock.

Thorpe had already taken up his umbrella and was buttoning his coat.

A car stood at the gate, and Weedon, buttoning his coat, was stepping in.

At the moment she had been bending towards the child, buttoning up her coat.

She did not withdraw it and I put on the shoe, buttoning the instep-strap.

Richard Crawford was yet lying on the sofa, and he was buttoning up his vest.

His hands, busily engaged in buttoning his gloves, did not clench.

He is as deft at buttoning a glove as he is amiable at playing cards.

Stacey was buttoning his coat with trembling hands, when Martha went up to him.

In one bound she was at the door, buttoning her waist, and listening.

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Synonyms for buttoning

verb fasten, clasp

buttoning

Synonyms for buttoning

Antonyms for buttoning