Page:Dictionary of Slang, Jargon & Cant (1889) by Barrere & Leland.djvu/239

 Butteker, a shop, from the Italian bottega. A curious variation of this word is "butter-ken," Gypsy, bûtteka or boodika.

Butter, to (common), to praise a person too flagrantly; " to pass the butter boat," is to indulge at public dinners in laudatory toasts of the prominent or distinguished persons who are present. The phrase has its counterpart in the Scottish proverb, "Claw me and I'll claw you." From clire, to praise, and signifying "Praise me and I'll praise you." The English proverb, "Fine words butter no parsnips," took its rise in a kindred idea.

Butter a bet, to (old slang), to increase it by twice or thrice its first amount.

Buttered bun (old slang), a woman who, directly after cohabitation with one man, allows another to embrace her.

Butter fingers (cricketers), an epithet applied to a "fielder" who does not hold a ball which he ought to catch.

Butter flap (rhyming slang), a trap, light cart.

Butterfly (nautical), a sailor's name for a river barge.

Buttock (common), a street-walker, a common prostitute.

Buttock and file (old cant), a shop lifter.

Buttock and tongue (old slang), a scolding, shrewish wife.

Buttock-ball (old slang), cohabitation.

Buttock-broker (old slang), a procuress, and in society a match-making woman.

Buttocking-shop (common), a brothel. The corresponding expression in the French slang is magasin de fesses.

Button (old cant), a shilling, now a bad one. (Streets), a decoy sham purchaser.

Button-buster (theatrical), a really humorous low comedian, one