butt

The part of your body that you sit on.

• I fell on my butt.
• These exercises strengthen your legs and butt.
• He sat on his butt all afternoon.

Similar words: bottom, bum, backside

Common phrases: on your butt, kick someone’s butt, sore butt

The thick end of an object, or the small piece left after a cigarette has been smoked.

• He dropped a cigarette butt.
• She picked up the cigarette butts outside the café.
• The soldier rested the butt of his rifle on the ground.

How to use it: the butt of something (The butt of the rifle was made of wood.)

Similar words: end, stub

Common phrases: cigarette butt, rifle butt, butt end

Used to mean your whole self when someone tells you to move or act.

• Get your butt over here!
• You need to move your butt if you want that job.
• She got her butt out of bed before sunrise.

How to use it: get your butt + place/direction (Get your butt back inside before it starts raining.)

Similar words: self

Common phrases: get your butt, move your butt, save your butt

In “a pain in the butt,” a person or thing that annoys you or causes trouble.

• This form is a pain in the butt.
• My neighbour can be a real pain in the butt.
• Finding a parking space was a pain in the butt.

How to use it: be a pain in the butt (Updating every file by hand is a pain in the butt.)

Similar words: nuisance, annoyance

Common phrases: pain in the butt, in the butt

In phrases such as “work your butt off,” used to show that someone makes a very great effort.

• I worked my butt off today.
• She studied her butt off for the exam.
• We ran our butts off but still missed the bus.

How to use it: verb + your butt off (They played their butts off in the final match.)

Common phrases: your butt off, work your butt, study your butt

A person or thing that people make fun of or criticize.

• He was the butt of their jokes.
• Her old car became the butt of endless teasing.
• Nobody enjoys being the butt of cruel humour.

How to use it: the butt of something (The mayor became the butt of jokes about the failed project.)

Similar words: target, object of ridicule

Common phrases: butt of jokes, butt of ridicule, the usual butt

To interrupt a conversation or activity without being invited.

• Please do not butt in.
• He butted into our conversation without saying hello.
• She always butts in when I try to explain.

How to use it: butt in (Sorry to butt in, but your taxi is here.); butt into something (He butted into a discussion about money.)

Similar words: interrupt, intrude

Common phrases: butt in, butt into something

To hit someone or something with the head or horns.

• The goat butted the gate.
• Two rams butted each other in the field.
• The angry animal tried to butt him in the chest.

Similar words: headbutt

Common phrases: butt someone, butt a fence, butt with horns