| English Dictionary |
BUTTONED-UP
| Pronunciation (US): |  | (GB): | |
| IPA (US): |  |
Dictionary entry overview: What does buttoned-up mean?
• BUTTONED-UP (adjective)
The adjective BUTTONED-UP has 2 senses:
1. (British colloquial) not inclined to conversation
2. conservative in professional manner
Familiarity information: BUTTONED-UP used as an adjective is rare.
Dictionary entry details
Sense 1
Meaning:
(British colloquial) not inclined to conversation
Similar:
taciturn (habitually reserved and uncommunicative)
Domain region:
Britain; Great Britain; U.K.; UK; United Kingdom; United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (a monarchy in northwestern Europe occupying most of the British Isles; divided into England and Scotland and Wales and Northern Ireland; 'Great Britain' is often used loosely to refer to the United Kingdom)
Domain usage:
colloquialism (a colloquial expression; characteristic of spoken or written communication that seeks to imitate informal speech)
Sense 2
Meaning:
Conservative in professional manner
Context example:
employers are looking for buttoned-up types
Similar:
conservative (resistant to change, particularly in relation to politics or religion)
| Learn English with... Proverbs |
"Where there is heart, there are hands." (Albanian proverb)
"The wound of words is worse than the wound of swords." (Arabic proverb)
"Have no respect at table and in bed." (Corsican proverb)