butt

¹

[ buht ]

noun

1. the end or extremity of anything, especially the thicker, larger, or blunt end considered as a bottom, base, support, or handle, as of a log, fishing rod, or pistol.
2. an end that is not used or consumed; remnant:

   a cigar butt.

3. a lean cut of pork shoulder.
4. Slang. the buttocks.
5. Slang. a cigarette.

butt

²

[ buht ]

noun

1. a person or thing that is an object of wit, ridicule, sarcasm, contempt, etc.

   Synonyms: patsy, pigeon, prey, laughingstock, gull, dupe, mark, target, victim

2. a target.
3. (on a rifle range)
   1. a wall of earth located behind the targets to prevent bullets from scattering over a large area.
   2. butts, a wall behind which targets can be safely lowered, scored, and raised during firing practice.
4. butt hinge.
5. Obsolete. a goal; limit.

verb (used without object)

1. to have an end or projection on; be adjacent to; abut.

verb (used with object)

1. to position or fasten an end (of something).
2. to place or join the ends (of two things) together; set end-to-end.

butt

³

[ buht ]

verb (used with object)

1. to strike or push with the head or horns.

verb (used without object)

1. to strike or push something or at something with the head or horns.
2. to project.
3. Machinery. (of wheels in a gear train) to strike one another instead of meshing.

noun

1. a push or blow with the head or horns.

verb phrase

1. to stop meddling in the affairs or intruding in the conversation of others:

   I tried to talk some sense into him and was told to butt out.

2. to meddle in the affairs or intrude in the conversation of others; interfere:

   It was none of his concern, so he didn't butt in.

butt

⁴

[ buht ]

noun

1. a large cask for wine, beer, or ale.
2. any cask or barrel.
3. any of various units of capacity, usually considered equal to two hogsheads.

butt

⁵

or but

[ buht ]

noun

, plural (especially collectively) butt, (especially referring to two or more kinds or species) butts.

1. any of several flatfishes, especially the halibut.

butt

¹

/ bʌt /

noun

1. a large cask, esp one with a capacity of two hogsheads, for storing wine or beer
2. a US unit of liquid measure equal to 126 US gallons

butt

²

/ bʌt /

noun

1. the thicker or blunt end of something, such as the end of the stock of a rifle
2. the unused end of something, esp of a cigarette; stub
3. tanning the portion of a hide covering the lower backside of the animal
4. informal.
   the buttocks
5. a slang word for cigarette
6. building trades short for butt joint butt hinge

butt

³

/ bʌt /

noun

1. a person or thing that is the target of ridicule, wit, etc
2. shooting archery
   1. a mound of earth behind the target on a target range that stops bullets or wide shots
   2. the target itself
   3. plural the target range
3. a low barrier, usually of sods or peat, behind which sportsmen shoot game birds, esp grouse
4. archaic.
   goal; aim

verb

1. usually foll byon or against to lie or be placed end on to; abut

   to butt a beam against a wall

butt

⁴

/ bʌt /

verb

1. to strike or push (something) with the head or horns
2. intr to project; jut
3. intr; foll by in or into to intrude, esp into a conversation; interfere; meddle
4. butt out informal.
   to stop interfering or meddling

noun

1. a blow with the head or horns

Butt

⁵

/ bʌt /

noun

1. ButtClara18721936FEnglishMUSIC: contralto Dame Clara . 1872–1936, English contralto

Derived Forms

• ˈbutter, noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of butt¹

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English bott “(thick) end, buttock,” Old English butt “tree stump” (in placenames); akin to Swedish but “stump,” Danish but “stubby”; further origin uncertain; buttock

Origin of butt²

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Middle French but “target, goal,” probably ultimately from Old Norse bútr “stump, log” (from the use of a wooden block or stump as a target in archery, etc.); butt ¹, butte ( def )

Origin of butt³

First recorded in 1150–1200; Middle English butten, bouten, from Anglo-French buter, butter, Old French bouter, buter “to thrust, strike,” from Germanic; compare Old Norse bauta “to strike,” Middle Dutch botten “to strike, sprout”; beat ( def )

Origin of butt⁴

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English but(t)e, bot(t), from Anglo-French bo(u)t(e); Middle French, from Old Provençal bota, from Late Latin butta, buttis, akin to Greek boût(t)is “vessel in the shape of a frustum of a cone” (of pre-Greek origin)

Origin of butt⁵

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English but(te), botte; cognate with Swedish butta “turbot,” German Butt “brill, turbot, flounder,” Dutch bot “flounder”

Word History and Origins

Origin of butt¹

C14: from Old French botte , from Old Provençal bota , from Late Latin buttis cask, perhaps from Greek butinē chamber pot

Origin of butt²

C15 (in the sense: thick end of something, buttock): related to Old English buttuc end, ridge, Middle Dutch bot stumpy

Origin of butt³

C14 (in the sense: mark for archery practice): from Old French but ; related to French butte knoll, target

Origin of butt⁴

C12: from Old French boter , of Germanic origin; compare Middle Dutch botten to strike; see beat , button

Example Sentences

If I already know I’m the butt of the joke, then you can’t joke.

From Los Angeles Times

Instead of simply disagreeing, Caitlyn assaults Vi by striking her in the abdomen with the butt of her rifle.

From Salon

It was sold in marketplaces for around 10 cents a bowl and occasionally contained cigarette butts or bottle caps.

From Los Angeles Times

“Get your butt up and go to the clubhouse,” Darby tells herself.

From Los Angeles Times

A boy near me butted in: "Wow, you don't get this?"

From Salon

Related Words

• backside
• behind
• bottom
• bum
• derriere
• tush