butt
butt1 / bət/ • v. [tr.] (of a person or animal) hit (someone or something) with the head or horns: she butted him in the chest with her head. ∎ strike (the head) against something: he butts his head against a wall.• n. a push or blow, typically given with the head: he would follow up with a butt from his head.PHRASES: butt heads engage in conflict or be in strong disagreement: the residents continue to butt heads with the mall developers.PHRASAL VERBS: butt in take part in a conversation or activity, or enter somewhere, without being invited or expected: sorry to butt in on you.butt out inf. stop interfering: anyone who tries to cut across our policies should butt out.butt2 • n. the person or thing at which criticism or humor, typically unkind, is directed: his singing is the butt of dozens of jokes. ∎ (usu. butts) an archery or shooting target or range.butt3 • n. 1. (also butt end) the thicker end, esp. of a tool or a weapon: a rifle butt. ∎ the square end of a plank or plate meeting the end or side of another, as in the side of a ship.2. (also butt end) the stub of a cigar or a cigarette: the ashtray was crammed with cigarette butts.3. inf. the buttocks.4. the trunk of a tree, esp. the part just above the ground.• v. [intr.] adjoin or meet end to end: the church butted up against the row of houses. ∎ [tr.] join (pieces of stone, lumber, and other building materials) with the ends or sides flat against each other: the floorboards will be butted up against each other to make tight seams.butt4 • n. a cask, typically used for wine, ale, or water.
butt
butt
butt4 cask for wine, etc. XIV. In AL. butta (XIII), bota (XIV) — AN. but, var. of OF. bo(u)t :- late L. buttis, perh. based on Gr. būtī́nē, var. of pūtī́nē osier-covered flask. (Cf. BOTTLE).
butt
butt3 mark for archery practice (orig. embankment holding targets) XIV; †goal, object XVI; target for ridicule, etc. XVII. prob. — (O)F. but, of unkn. orig.; perh. infl. by F. butte (cf. BUTTE) rising ground, knoll, (also) target.
butt
butt2 (locally) applied to various flat-fish. XIII. — MLG. but, MDu. but(te), bot(te), whence also G. butt(e), Sw. butta turbot, Da. bot flounder; prob. rel. to LG. but, MDu, bot stumpy. Cf. HALIBUT.
butt
butt1 strike, thrust (now with the head), intr. XII; trans. XVI. — AN. buter, OF. boter (mod. dial. bouter put), of Gmc. orig.
Butt
Butt
a small piece of land; a bundle or pack.
Examples: butt of land, 1475; of linen [1500 yds.], 1705; of olives, 1653; of Malmsey wine, 1477.
butt
butt A cask for beer or wine, containing 108 imperial gallons (491 L).