buttal 
buttal- (but/ill), ii. A dialectal form of butter*, 
bittenl. 
butt-bolt (but'bolt), n. An unbarbed arrow; 
a butt-shaft. 
I saw a llttlu devil fly out of her eye like a n>it-i,lt, 
which .slick-- at this hour n] \'< tin t, aflu IN in my heart. 
l-;,,;l n,,:l ll.'kk'.f. \Vitclinf Edmonton. ii. I. 
butt-chain (Imt'clmn), ii. In harness, a short 
chain attached at one end to the leather tun. 
and at the other to the swingle-tree. K. H. 
Knit/lit. 
butte (but), H. [F., a rising ground, a mound, 
orig. a butt to shoot at : seeottM 2 .] Aconspicu- 
OUH hill or mountain, especially one that at- 
ttvirts attention by its isolation, or serves as a 
landmark: a name applied in the regions about 
the upper Missouri and west to tlic I'acinV. 
Thus, the "Thlvc IS,ill,'t" were a eonspie ...... s lan.linarU 
for emigrants to < >rcgon. One of tin: highest anil grandest 
mountains in th I'nited stales. .Miiuiit sbasta. \\:is in tin- 
early days of California!! i -migration known to tin: Ameri- 
cans almost exclusively as Miasla I'.utl,. <i(lier promi- 
nent lofty peaks in California are still called 1,/iti''*. a.s 
Downievllle llttttr-it, Marysville Unties, etc. Tills use of 
the word btttte, now gradually disappearing from the 
region In question, is a relic of French occupancy of 
the Northwest, anil of the suhsequent wide distribution 
through that region of the Hudson's Hay Company's em- 
ployees, most of whom were of French extraction. The 
word was picked up hy overland emigrants and carried to 
the furthest West; and it lias heen much used as a place- 
name, alone or in combination. 
buttent, . An obsolete spelling of button. 
butt-end (but'end), n. The thicker, larger, or 
blunt end of anything: as, the butt-end of a 
musket or a piece of timber: game as butt?, 
1 (a). Also spelled but-end. 
butter 1 (but'er), n. [< ME. butter, buttcre, bu- 
tere, < AS. butcre (in comp. buter-, bultor-) = 
OFries. butera, botera = D. boter = LG. bolter = 
OHG. butrd, butcre, MHG. buter, Q. butter = 
F. beurre = It. burro, butiro, < L. tmtyrum, < 
Gr. /ioiTvpov, butter, appar. < povf, cow, + rvp6f, 
cheese, but perhaps an accom. of some for- 
eign word.] 1. The fatty portion of milk. AS 
prepared for use, it contains 80 to 85 per cent, of fats, with 
varying amounts of water and salt, and minute quantities 
of sugar and curd. It is used as a food or relish hy most 
peoples, and is made directly from the milk, or from the 
cream previously separated from the milk, of cows, goats, 
and other animals. Agitation or churning separates the 
fats from the milk or cream and makes them cohere in 
lumps, which are then worked together, freed as far as 
possible from buttermilk, ami usually mixed with salt, 
which preserves the butter and develops its flavor. 
2. In old chew., a term applied to certain an- 
hydrous metallic chlorids of buttery consis- 
tence and fusibility. Butter-and-tallow tree, a 
guttiferous tree of Sierra Leone, l'eiitad,'xm(t but*trac<'a, 
BO called from its abundant yellow, greasy sap, which the 
natives mix with their food. Butter of antimony, a 
name given to antimony trichlorid, made by distilling a 
mixture of corrosive sublimate and antimony, and former- 
ly used in medicine as a caustic. Butter of bismuth, 
butter of tin, butter of zinc, sublimated chlorids of 
those metals. Butter of wax, the oleaginous part of 
wax, obtained by distillation, having a buttery consistence. 
Macaja butter. See CVo. - Midshipmen's butter. 
See ameadu. Nutmeg-butter. See antmeg. Paraffin- 
butter, a crude paraffin which is used for making can- 
dles. KOCk-bu tier, a peculiar mineral composed of alum 
combined with iron, of the consistence and appearance of 
soft butter, occurring as a pasty exudation from aluminif- 
rn ins rocks at ilurlct Alum Works, 1'atsley, Scotland, and 
in several places on the continent of Europe. Run but- 
ter, clarified butter ; butter melted and potted for culi- 
nary use. The name of ghee (which see) is given to a kind 
of run butter made in India. Vegetable butters, a 
name given to certain concrete fixed vegetable oils which 
are solid at common temperatures: so called from their 
resemblance to butter produced from the milk of animals. 
The following are the most important of them. O"'<r> 
butter, or oil of theobroma, is obtained from the seeds of 
the cacao (Theobroma Cacao) of tropical America; it is 
" a yellowish-white solid, having a faint agreeable odor, a 
bland chocolate-like taste, and a neutral reaction" (U. S. 
Dispensatory, p. 1049). Cattara butter is obtained from 
tin- fruits of I ateria Indica; it is a resin rather than an 
oil, and is used as a varnish. Fnltra butter is from the 
seeds of the East Indian Bassia buttfracea ; A'"A niu hntt>'f. 
from the seeds of Gnrcinia Intiica; Mahwaii butter, from 
Batifia latifolia. Shea butter, also called tialam or I;n,,,- 
buJc biittrr, is from the kernels of the shea-tree, Butyro- 
gperminn rirkii. of western Africa ; it resembles (mini-oil, 
but is of a deeper-reit color. See Bosnia, cacao, shea. 
butter 1 (but'er), r. [< butter^, .] I. trans. 
1. To smear with butter. 
"fwiis her brother that, in pure kindness to his horse, 
l,iitifr;i his hay. Shak., Lear, ii. 4. 
2. To flatter grossly: as, he buttered him to his 
heart's content. [Colloq.] Buttered ale, a beer 
hreneil without hops or other bitter ingredient, and 
flavored with sugar, butter, and spice.- To know on 
which, side one's bread Is buttered, to know when- 
ones advantage lies; be able to take care of oue's self. 
[Colloq.] 
I knn\\ \\hat-\\l i n which side 
M,i l,r,;i,l it butter'd. Ford, Lady's Trial, ii. 1. 
II. inli-aiix. In i/iimlilini/ slang, to stake the 
previous winnings, with addition, at every 
(blow or every game. 
47 
737 
It is . -i tine simile in one of Mr. r,, nm ei , - prologues which 
compares a writer to a 1,1,11. ,.,:, -.. i.-i Hut -lukesall 
his winning IIJHMI one cast ; no that il be lose, tb.- ]a-t 
throw hi- is sure to le undone. Additon, Fn< holiler. 
butter- (but'rr), n. [< bitttl + -rrl.~\ One who 
or that which butts; an animal that butts. 
butter; 1 (but'er), >i. [< butt*, r. /., '2, + -crl.] A 
machine for sawing off the ends of boards, to 
square them and remove faulty parts. 
butter 4,". A n obsolete form of bittern^. Com- 
pare butt, fliniiiji. 
butter 6 !, . [Only in ME. form bitter, < bit, 
lulli' (see butt*), + -<rl.] One who has charge 
of a butt or fire-bucket. See butt 3 , n., 1. 
butter-ale (but'er-al), n. Same as buttered ale 
i wliieli SIM-, iiinlrr Iniiii /-I. r. I.). 
butter-and-eggs (but'er-and-egz'), n. 1. The 
popular name in the British islands of the 
double-flowered variety of Narcisxux aurantius 
and of other species of the same genus, and in 
the United States of the toad-flax or ramsted, 
l.iniiria vulgarin: from the color of the flowers, 
which are of two shades of yellow. 2. The 
act of sliding on one foot, and striking the slide 
with the heel and toe of the other foot at short 
intervals. [Eng. schoolboy slang.] 
I can do tnitter-and^ggi all down the slide. 
Macmillan't May. 
butterball (but'er-bal), n. Same as bufflel, 2. 
butter-bean (but'er-ben), n. A variety of 
Phascnlux luiintiis cultivated for the table in 
the United States. See bean 1 , 2. 
butter-bird (but'er-berd), . The name given 
to the rice-bunting, Doliclionyi oryzirorus, in 
Jamaica, where it is iu great request for the 
table. See cut under bobolink. 
butter-boat (but'er-bot), . A vessel for the 
table in which melted butter, intended to be 
used as a sauce, is served ; a sauce-boat. 
butter-box (but'er-boks), . 1. A box or ves- 
sel for butter. 2f. A Dutchman. [Slang.] 
butterbump (but'er-bump), w. [Also butter- 
mump (ana of. buttcrmunk), < butter, dial, 
form of bitter^, bittern 1 , q. v., + bump 1 , 
var. mump. Ct. equiv. boi/bumper."] A 
name of the European bittern, Botaurun 
stellaris. Tennyson. [Prov. Eng.] 
butter-bur, butter-burr (but'er-ber), . 
A name of the sweet coltsfoot, Petasites 
ruli/aris. Also called butter-dock. 
butter-color (but'er-kul'or), n. 1. The 
color of butter; golden yellow. 2. A sub- 
stance containing a large amount of color- 
ing matter which is mixed with butter, 
oleomargarin, butterin, or suine, to give 
it a rich yellow color; a preparation of 
madder or of arnotto thus used. 
buttercup (but'er-kup), w. A name given 
to most of the common species of Ran uncu- 
lu# with bright-yellow cup-shaped flowers 
and divided leaves, such as K . acrix and K. 
bulbosux. Also called butter-flower and crowfoot. 
butter-daisy (but'er-da'zi), n. The white ox- 
eye. [Prov. Eng.] 
butter-dock (but'er-dok), n. A name given to 
the bitter dock, Rumex obtusifolius, and the 
sweet coltsfoot, Petasites ruli/aris, because their 
large leaves are used for wrapping butter. 
butter-fingered (but'er-fing'gerd), a. Having 
slippery or weak fingers; clumsy in the use of 
the hands. [Slang.] 
butter-fingers (but'er-fing'gerz), H. One who 
lets drop anything he ought to hold; a butter- 
fingered person; specifically, in bane-ball and 
cricket, one who "muffs" a ball. [Slang.] 
When, on the executioner lifting the head of the seventh 
traitor, as the preceding six had been lifted to the public 
gaze, he happened to let it fall, cries of "Ah, clumsy!" 
"Halloo, butter-Jittffert ! " were heard from various quar- 
ters of the assembly. Hook, Ciilbert Guniey, II. 1. 
butter-fish (but'er-fish), n. 1. A name given 
to various fishes and other marine animals hav- 
ing a smooth and unctuous surface like butter. 
(fl) The flsh Stroinateux(or Poronotti*)triacanthujt. It has 
butterfly-nose 
can eoa-t, but not mini - f. ,.d. IMuMCtm 
etU and New York, j ((.. 
\S I s Moll, 
Massachusetts.] (<) A flub of tl,. 
,1m iMlln*. It Inu an oblong |M|J with small n tb 
scales, a naked head, and 17 dorsal spines and 17 rays. 
The flesh i- . short in the grain, an. I well 
savored, Without I- It inhabit* tin- k. lp b. .1-, 
around New 7/ealand. (<f) A bivalve moiln-k of the fain 
lly Veneridat, Tape* ileruiuata : the puir. |l>H-al 
(llanii>shire).| () A bivalve mollusk of tl,. family Myi- 
dtr, Miia arenaria ; the soft clam. 
2. A fish of the genus Murteitotde*, especially 
M. gunnellus. [Eng.] 3. A serranoid fish 
neacentrus punctatut. Also called niggcr-ftth. 
i \\Vst Ind.] 
butterflip (Wtf to-flip), n. The avoset, Reeurvi- 
nixti -a iirni-iiiii. Moiitiii/ii. [Local, British.] 
butter-flower ( but'er-flou'er), n. Same as bu t- 
ii ,-i-nji. 
Let weeds Instead of bulter-JUnr'n iippear, 
And meads, Instead of daisies, hemlock bear. 
-hep. Week, Friday, 1. 85. 
butterfly (but'er-fli), n.; pi. liuttrrflirx (-His). 
[< ME. buttiirflye, boti-rflyc, etc.. < AS. Imlii,,-- 
fleoge, buterflege (= MD. boterrliei/r, D. boter- 
rlii-g = G. butterlliege), a butterfly, a large white 
moth, < butere, butter, + fleoi/e, a fly. Cf. MD. 
botervoghel, a butterfly, = G. buttervogel, a largo 
white moth (MD. roijliel, D. rogtl = G. rogel = E. 
fowl 1 ). The reason for the name is uncertain; 
it was probably at first applied to the yellow 
species. Grimm says it has its name, as well as 
an old German name molkcndieb (late MHG. 
molkendie]i), 'milk-thief,' from the fact that peo- 
ple formerly believed that the butterfly, or elves 
or witches m its shape, stole milk and butter; 
but the legend mavhave arisen out of the name. 
Another explanation, based on another name of 
the butterfly, MD. boterschijte, -schiete, -xchete, 
refers it to the color of the excrement (wAy'fe).] 
1. The common English name of any diurnal 
lepidopterous insect ; especially, one of the rho- 
palocerous LejMoptera, corresponding to the 
Butter-Ash srr^mafrui trtacantktts 
an oval form, rounded in front, with [Hires on the back in 
a single row above the lateral line, ami the dorsal and anal 
fins not elevated. It is abundant along the eastern Anieri- 
Goatwecd Butterfly 
old Linnean genus Pai>Uio, called distinctively 
the butterflies. See JHurna,Ilh<tpal(icira, Lepi- 
doptera, and Papilio. 2. Figuratively, a per- 
son whose attention is given up to a variety 
of trifles of any kind; one incapable of steady 
application ; a showily dressed, vain, and giddy 
person. 3. A kind of flat made-up neck-tie. 
4t. An herb otherwise called ragwort. Kersey, 
1708. Butterfly head-dress. See bead-tire**. Cop- 
per butterflies, the English name of the small copper 
colored species of the family Ltiftrniiltr. and especially 
of the genus Lyca-na. Goatweed butterfly, the pop- 
ular name of /'n;<Ai g'.ycerium, a rare and interesting 
butterfly, the larva of which feeds on the goatwced* of 
the genus Croton. The insect Is specially interesting 
from the dissimilarity of the sexett, or sexual dimorphism, 
and from the curious habit of the larva, which lives in a 
cup made of the folded leaf. The larva ii clear-green in 
color, with pale-white granulations and Interspersed dark 
Indentations. The chrysalis is light-green, banded with 
dark-gray. The male butterfly is deep cnpitery-red, mark- 
ed with dark nnrpllsh-brown. while the female is much 
Hghtcr-coloreif, though also marked with dark-brown. 
Sea-butterfly, a mollusk of the subclass 1'tenpoda : so 
called from its extended lateral foot-lobes, which simu- 
late wings. 
butterfly-cock (but'er-fli-kok), n. Same as 
bit ttcrfly-ralvc. 
butterfly-fish (1'iit'iT-ni-fish), w. 1. AnEnglish 
name or the eyed blenny, />'/< unin.- r<llnri4. 
2. A fish of the family \onit-ida; (lasterochisma 
melampus, with large "black ventral fins, inhab- 
iting the sea about Australia and New Zealand. 
It attains a length of more than 3 feet, but is 
rare. 
butterfly-gurnard (but'er-fli-ger r nard), H. A 
fish of trie family Trii/lid<r, the I.rpidotrigla ta- 
ni*ii of the Tasraaniiui and Australian seas. 
butterfly-nose (but'er-tli-uoz), n. A spotted 
nose, as of some dogs. 
