Origin of butt

3
1150–1200; Middle English butten < Anglo-French buter, Old French boter to thrust, strike < Germanic; compare Middle Dutch botten to strike, sprout

Words nearby butt

buto, butoconazole nitrate, butorphanol, butsu, butsudan, butt, butt bra, butt chisel, butt end, butt hinge, butt in

Words related to butt in

bother, disturb, interject, interrupt, intrude, pester, pry

British Dictionary definitions for butt in (1 of 5)

Butt
/ (bʌt) /

noun

Dame Clara . 1872–1936, English contralto

British Dictionary definitions for butt in (2 of 5)

butt 1
/ (bʌt) /

noun

the thicker or blunt end of something, such as the end of the stock of a rifle
the unused end of something, esp of a cigarette; stub
tanning the portion of a hide covering the lower backside of the animal
US and Canadian informal the buttocks
US a slang word for cigarette
building trades short for butt joint, butt hinge

Word Origin for butt

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

British Dictionary definitions for butt in (3 of 5)

butt 2
/ (bʌt) /

noun

a person or thing that is the target of ridicule, wit, etc
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
a low barrier, usually of sods or peat, behind which sportsmen shoot game birds, esp grouse
archaic goal; aim

verb

(usually foll by on or against) to lie or be placed end on to; abut to butt a beam against a wall

Word Origin for butt

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

British Dictionary definitions for butt in (4 of 5)

butt 3
/ (bʌt) /

verb

to strike or push (something) with the head or horns
(intr) to project; jut
(intr ; foll by in or into) to intrude, esp into a conversation; interfere; meddle
butt out informal, mainly US and Canadian to stop interfering or meddling

noun

a blow with the head or horns

Derived forms of butt

butter, noun

Word Origin for butt

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

British Dictionary definitions for butt in (5 of 5)

butt 4
/ (bʌt) /

noun

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

Word Origin for butt

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

Idioms and Phrases with butt in

butt in

Interfere, interrupt, intrude. For example, Mom is always butting in on our conversations, or It's against the law for employers to butt in on personal matters. This term alludes to the thrusting of an animal with its horns. [Slang; 1890s]