butt

UK: /ˈbʌt/ US: /bʌt/ ,(but)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

butt¹ /bʌt/   n. [countable]

1. the end of anything, esp. thought of as a base, support, or handle:
   He swung up the butt of his rifle.
2. an end that is not used up:
   a cigar butt.
3. Slang Terms Slang. a cigarette:
   passing around a few butts.
4. Slang Terms Slang. the buttocks:
   a quick kick in the butt.

butt² /bʌt/   n. [countable* usually singular]

1. an object of jokes, etc.:
   The kid was the butt of all our pranks.

butt³ /bʌt/   v. 

1. Animal Behavior to strike or push (something) with the head or horns: [no object]
   The rams were butting and pushing.
   [~ + object]
   The rams were butting each other.
2. butt in (or out), [no object] to interfere (or stop interfering) in the affairs of others:
   wished his mother-in-law would stop butting in; When he tried to help them, one of them snapped, "Butt out, jerk, and leave us alone!''

n. [countable]

3. Animal Behavior a push or blow with the head or horns.

butt⁴ /bʌt/   n. [countable]

1. a large barrel or cask for wine, beer, ale, etc.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

butt¹  (but), n. 

1. the end or extremity of anything, esp. 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. Food a lean cut of pork shoulder.
4. Slang Terms the buttocks.
5. Slang Terms a cigarette.

• 1400–50; late Middle English bott (thick) end, buttock, Old English butt tree stump (in place names); akin to Swedish but stump, Danish but stubby; compare buttock

butt²  (but), n. 

1. a person or thing that is an object of wit, ridicule, sarcasm, contempt, etc.
2. a target.
3. (on a rifle range)
   • a wall of earth located behind the targets to prevent bullets from scattering over a large area.
   • butts, a wall behind which targets can be safely lowered, scored, and raised during firing practice.
4. Building See butt hinge. 
5. [Obs.] a goal;
   limit.

v.i. 

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

v.t. 

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

• Middle French but target, goal, probably Old Norse bútr butt¹, from the use of a wooden block or stump as a target in archery, etc.
• Middle English 1350–1400

Synonyms

• 1. victim, target, mark, dupe, gull, laughingstock, prey, pigeon, patsy.

butt³  (but), v.t. 

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

v.i. 

2. Animal Behavior to strike or push something or at something with the head or horns.
3. to project.
4. Mechanical Engineering [Mach.] (of wheels in a gear train) to strike one another instead of meshing.
5. butt in, 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.
6. butt out, to stop meddling in the affairs or intruding in the conversation of others:
   Nobody asked her opinion, so she butted out.

n. 

7. Animal Behavior a push or blow with the head or horns.

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

butt⁴  (but), n. 

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

• Late Latin butta, buttis, akin to Greek boût(t)is
• Old Provencal bota
• Anglo-French bo(u)t(e); Middle French
• Middle English bote 1350–1400

butt⁵  (but), 

1. Fish any of several flatfishes, esp. the halibut.

Also, but. 

• 1250–1300; Middle English butte; cognate with Swedish butta turbot, German Butt brill, turbot, flounder, Dutch bot flounder

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

butt / 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. the portion of a hide covering the lower backside of the animal
4. the buttocks
5. 
   a slang word for cigarette

Etymology: 15th Century (in the sense: thick end of something, buttock): related to Old English buttuc end, ridge, Middle Dutch bot stumpy

butt / bʌt/ noun

1. a person or thing that is the target of ridicule, wit, etc
2. a mound of earth behind the target on a target range that stops bullets or wide shots
3. the target itself
4. (plural) the target range
5. a low barrier, usually of sods or peat, behind which grouse-shooters stand
6. a goal; aim
7. short for butt joint

verb

1. usually followed by on or against: to lie or be placed end on to; abut: to butt a beam against a wall

Etymology: 14th Century (in the sense: mark for archery practice): from Old French but; related to French butte knoll, target

butt / bʌt/ verb

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

noun

1. a blow with the head or horns

Etymology: 12th Century: from Old French boter, of Germanic origin; compare Middle Dutch botten to strike; see beat, button

ˈbutter noun

butt / bʌt/ noun

1. a large cask, esp one with a capacity of two hogsheads, for storing wine or beer

Etymology: 14th Century: from Old French botte, from Old Provençal bota, from Late Latin buttis cask, perhaps from Greek butinē chamber pot

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

Butt / bʌt/ noun

1. Dame Clara. 1872–1936, English contralto