Adjacent Words

buttonhole definitions

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WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: a hole through which buttons are pushed [syn: buttonhole, button hole] v
1: detain in conversation by or as if by holding on to the outer garments of; as for political or economic favors [syn: lobby, buttonhole]

Merriam Webster's

I. noun Date: 1561 1. a slit or loop through which a button is passed 2. chiefly British boutonniere II. transitive verb Date: 1828 1. to furnish with buttonholes 2. to work with buttonhole stitch • buttonholer noun III. transitive verb Etymology: alteration of buttonhold Date: 1857 to detain in conversation by or as if by holding on to the outer garments of

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. & v. --n. 1 a slit made in a garment to receive a button for fastening. 2 a flower or spray worn in a lapel buttonhole. --v.tr. 1 colloq. accost and detain (a reluctant listener). 2 make buttonholes in. Phrases and idioms: buttonhole stitch a looped stitch used for making buttonholes.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Buttonhole But"ton*hole`, n. The hole or loop in which a button is caught.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Buttonhole But"ton*hole`, v. t. To hold at the button or buttonhole; to detain in conversation to weariness; to bore; as, he buttonholed me a quarter of an hour.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(buttonholes, buttonholing, buttonholed) 1. A buttonhole is a hole that you push a button through in order to fasten a shirt, coat, or other piece of clothing. N-COUNT 2. A buttonhole is a flower that you wear on your coat or dress. (BRIT) N-COUNT 3. If you buttonhole someone, you stop them and make them listen to you. Several people buttonholed television reporters to explain to them their reasons for not voting. VERB: V n

Moby Thesaurus

accost, address, apostrophize, appeal to, apply pressure, approach, beset, besiege, bespeak, blandish, bore, bore stiff, bore to death, bore to distraction, bore to tears, boutonniere, bug, cajole, call to, coax, corner, corsage, detain, dun, exert pressure, greet, hail, halloo, importune, invoke, nag, nag at, pester, plague, ply, press, pressure, push, salute, send to sleep, speak, speak fair, speak to, take aside, talk to, tease, urge, waylay, wheedle, work on