button up
B1Informal to Neutral
Definition
Meaning
To fasten the buttons on a piece of clothing; to close something completely.
To finish or complete a task; to settle matters; to become quiet or stop talking.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The phrase is phrasal and functions as a separable transitive verb (e.g., 'button it up', 'button up your coat'). The 'complete a task' sense is informal, often business-related. The 'become quiet' sense is colloquial and often used as a command ('Button up!').
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The literal clothing sense is identical. The informal 'complete/finish' sense is somewhat more common in American business/colloquial use. The imperative 'Button up!' meaning 'be quiet' is common in both, but 'Button it!' is a more frequent variant in UK informal speech.
Connotations
In both varieties, the 'complete a task' sense has a connotation of tidiness and finality. In military contexts, 'button up' can mean to secure a vehicle or position.
Frequency
Overall frequency is moderate. The literal sense is common in everyday contexts. The figurative senses are more frequent in informal American English.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
Transitive, separable: Button your coat up. / Button up your coat.Intransitive: The deal should button up by Friday.Imperative: Button up! It's cold. / Button up! I'm trying to think.Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Button up your lip (old-fashioned slang for 'be quiet')”
- “Buttoned-up (adjective: conservative, formal, emotionally restrained)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Informal: 'Let's button up the quarterly report by noon.'
Academic
Rare; potentially in descriptive texts: 'The researcher advised subjects to button up their lab coats.'
Everyday
Very common for clothing: 'Button up, it's windy.' Also for tasks: 'I need to button up a few things before the holiday.'
Technical
In certain fields (e.g., aviation, military) can mean to secure hatches or prepare a vehicle for action.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- Do button up your cardigan, dear.
- We'll button up the arrangements for the meeting.
- 'Button it up, you lot!' the teacher shouted.
American English
- You should button up your coat; a storm's coming.
- The team needs to button up the proposal by end of day.
- 'Button up, I'm on the phone,' she whispered.
adverb
British English
- Not applicable as an adverb.
American English
- Not applicable as an adverb.
adjective
British English
- He's far too buttoned-up to enjoy a casual party.
- She gave a very buttoned-up presentation.
American English
- The firm has a buttoned-up corporate culture.
- His buttoned-up demeanor hid a creative mind.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Button up your jacket. It is cold outside.
- The child learned to button up his shirt.
- Before the interview, make sure you button up your suit.
- We need to button up the plans before we announce them.
- The detective urged his partner to button up any loose ends in the testimony.
- His buttoned-up attitude made him seem unapproachable.
- The negotiators worked late to button up the final clauses of the treaty.
- Beneath her buttoned-up exterior lay a fiercely independent spirit.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a coat with many buttons. To be warm and finished, you must 'button up' all the way to the top.
Conceptual Metaphor
COMPLETION IS FASTENING CLOSURE; SILENCE IS FASTENING ONE'S MOUTH.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid translating the figurative 'finish' sense literally; it would not be understood. Use 'закончить' or 'завершить'.
- The command 'Button up!' (for quiet) is not directly equivalent to 'заткнись', which is much ruder. 'Button up!' is milder, often humorous or among friends/family.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'button down' interchangeably (a 'button-down shirt' is a specific style).
- Using it as a noun (e.g., 'the button up of the project' is incorrect).
- Confusing the adjective 'buttoned-up' (conservative) with the phrasal verb.
Practice
Quiz
In a business meeting, someone says, 'Let's button this up.' What do they most likely mean?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
The literal clothing sense is neutral. The meanings 'complete a task' and 'be quiet' are informal.
'Button up' means to fasten buttons. A 'button-down shirt' (adjective) is a shirt whose collar points can be buttoned to the shirt body. 'Button down' is not typically used as a phrasal verb with the same meaning as 'button up'.
Yes, but the adjective is 'buttoned-up' (with -ed). It describes someone as very formal, conservative, or emotionally restrained.
Use 'buttoned up'. For example, 'He buttoned up his coat' or 'They buttoned up the deal yesterday.'