1.button用作动词的意思是“扣住,系住”。用作及物动词时,接名词或代词作宾语; 偶尔也可用作不及物动词,这时主动形式常含有被动意义。
2.button常与down, up等副词连用。

button down(v.+adv.)
▲button sth ⇔ down
1.扣紧 fasten with buttons
She liked the dress that buttons down the back.她喜欢从背部扣纽扣的女装。
Dresses that button down the back are quite popular with girls.纽扣开在后背的衣服,女孩子穿得十分普遍。
2.〈美俚〉弄清,说明 clear sth up
We agreed that the only thing I could do would be to call Brooks in the presence of witnesses and button this thing down.我们一致认为,我能做的唯一的事就是把布鲁克斯叫到证人面前,澄清这件事。

button up(v.+adv.)
1.扣紧 fasten with buttons
▲button sth ⇔ up
She buttoned up her blouse.她将她的连衣裙扣好。
◇ 用于be ～ed结构
Within a short time, everything on the submarine was buttoned up.不一会儿,潜艇内所有的东西都扣紧了。
2.顺利完成 complete safely
▲button sth ⇔ up
They buttoned up the job within a short time.他们在短时间内就完成了那项工作。
3.紧缩开支 reduce or cut one's expenses
▲button up one's purse
That would make her button up her purse even tighter.那会使她更加节省。
4.〈美俚〉(使某人)闭口不说 (cause sb to) be silent
▲button (up) one's/sb's lips
He buttoned his lips.他一言不发。
Could you do something to button her lip?She's such a gossip.你能叫她不吭声吗?她就爱说闲话。

用作不及物动词
▲S+～(+A)
Most coats, jackets or blouses button at the front.大多上衣、夹克、罩衫都在前面扣扣。
用作及物动词
▲S+～+n./pron.
It's very warm.He didn't even button his coat.天气很暖和,他甚至都没扣他外衣的纽扣。

［词源］  ＜古法语boton(挤压到外面的圆东西)

1.button用作名词的基本意思是“纽扣”。引申可表示“按钮”,还可指“没有价值的小东西”。有时还可用来表示“徽章”“纪念章”之类的事物。在计算机术语中, button可指鼠标上的按钮,也可指对话框中的一种图形元素。
2.button是可数名词。与介词on连用可表示“在下巴尖上”,引申可指“准确地”。

on the button
1.在下巴尖上 on the chin
He soaked Haas on the button.他猛击哈斯的下巴。
2.准确地 exactly
Your guess was right on the button.你猜得一点没错。
His remark was right on the button.他的话完全准确。

One of the buttons has come off her shirt.她的衬衣掉了一粒纽扣。
I was sewing buttons on one of my shirts.我在给我的一件衬衣钉纽扣。
Which button do I press to turn the radio on?我该按哪个按钮才能打开收音机?
I don't care a button about it.我对它毫不介意。