Definition

1. Noun:

   • A flying insect with large, often brightly colored wings: A butterfly is a diurnal insect characterized by a slender body, knobbed antennae, and broad, colorful wings.
   • A swimming stroke: A swimming stroke in which both arms are moved simultaneously in a circular motion forward out of the water while the legs perform a dolphin kick.

2. Verb:

   • To split open and flatten: To cut something, especially meat or seafood, almost in half and spread it open so it resembles the shape of a butterfly's wings.
   • To behave flirtatiously: To talk or act in a playful, romantic, or amorously suggestive manner without serious intent.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Insect):
  • A beautiful butterfly landed on the flower.
  • The garden is full of butterflies in the summer.
• Noun (Swimming Stroke):
  • She won the race with a powerful butterfly.
  • The butterfly is considered one of the most difficult swimming strokes.
• Verb (To split open):
  • The chef will butterfly the chicken breast before grilling it.
  • For this recipe, you need to butterfly the shrimp.
• Verb (To behave flirtatiously):
  • He spent the evening butterflying from one guest to another. (Note: This usage is less common; "flirt" is more typical.)

Advanced Usage

• "To have butterflies in one's stomach": To feel nervous, especially before an important event.
  • I always have butterflies in my stomach before a big presentation.
• "Social butterfly": A person who enjoys and is very active in social situations, moving easily from one group to another.
  • She's a real social butterfly, always at parties and events.

Variants and Related Words

• Butterflied (adj): Describes something that has been cut and spread open.
  • We ordered butterflied prawns.
• Butterfly effect (n): A concept in chaos theory where a small change in one state can result in large differences in a later state.
  • The lecture explained the butterfly effect in weather systems.

Synonyms

• Insect: Lepidopteran (scientific term for butterflies and moths).
• Swimming stroke: Fly (informal abbreviation).
• Verb (to split): Split, open, flatten.
• Verb (to flirt): Flirt, chat up, philander.

Related Phrasal Verbs

(Note: "Butterfly" is not commonly used to form standard phrasal verbs. The actions are typically expressed with the verb alone or in specific phrases.)

Related Idioms

• "Break a butterfly on a wheel": To use excessive force or resources to solve a minor problem; to make a mountain out of a molehill.
  • Firing him for a small mistake is like breaking a butterfly on a wheel.

Noun

1. a swimming stroke in which the arms are thrown forward together out of the water while the feet kick up and down
2. diurnal insect typically having a slender body with knobbed antennae and broad colorful wings

Verb

1. talk or behave amorously, without serious intentions
   • The guys always try to chat up the new secretaries
   • My husband never flirts with other women
2. cut and spread open, as in preparation for cooking
   • butterflied shrimp
3. flutter like a butterfly