button-down

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The word "button-down" is an adjective used to describe a specific type of shirt. Here’s a simple breakdown:

Basic Definition:

• Button-down shirt: This is a shirt where the ends of the collar are fastened down with buttons. It usually has a more formal or neat appearance.

Usage Instructions:

• You can use "button-down" to talk about shirts in a casual or formal context. It’s common in both business and casual settings.

Example:

• "He wore a blue button-down shirt to the meeting, which made him look professional."

Advanced Usage:

• The term can also describe a style that is very conventional or traditional. For example, "buttoned-down" can refer to someone who is serious, conservative, or not very expressive.

Variants:

• Button-up: Sometimes people use "button-up" to mean a similar thing, but this typically refers to shirts that button all the way up the front, not just the collar.
• Buttoned-down: This can be used to describe a personality or style that is very conservative or restrained.

Different Meanings:

• In a broader sense, "buttoned-down" can also refer to a lifestyle or attitude that is very conventional and lacks excitement. For example, "He lives in a buttoned-down world, where everything is planned and predictable."

Synonyms:

• For the shirt: Collared shirt, Dress shirt.
• For the style or personality: Conventional, Serious, Reserved.

Idioms and Phrasal Verbs:

• There aren’t specific idioms or phrasal verbs directly related to "button-down," but you might hear phrases like "button it up," which means to stop talking or be quiet.

Summary:

"Button-down" primarily refers to a type of shirt with a collar that is fastened down with buttons. It can also describe an overall conservative style or personality.

Academic

Adjective

1. of a shirt; having the ends of the collar fastened down by buttons
   • Brooks Brothers button-down shirts
2. unimaginatively conventional
   • a colorful character in the buttoned-down, dull-grey world of business- Newsweek

Synonyms

• buttoned-down
• conservative