unbutton

American  

[uhn-buht-n] / ʌnˈbʌt n /

verb (used with object)

1. to free (buttons) from buttonholes; unfasten or undo.

2. to unfasten by or as if by unbuttoning.

   to unbutton a jacket.

3. to disclose (one's feelings, thoughts, etc.) after deliberate or prolonged silence.

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verb (used without object)

1. to unfasten a button or one's buttons.

unbutton British  

/ ʌnˈbʌtən /

verb

1. to undo by unfastening (the buttons) of (a garment)

2. informal to release or relax (oneself, tension, etc)

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Etymology

Origin of unbutton

First recorded in 1275–1325, unbutton is from the Middle English word unbotenen. See un- ², button

Explanation

When you unbutton something, you unfasten or open it, the way you unbutton your coat before you take it off. To undo the buttons on a piece of clothing is to unbutton it. If your formal clothes feel uncomfortable, you might take off your tie and unbutton your top shirt button. You can also figuratively unbutton, by becoming more relaxed and uninhibited: "Kick off your shoes and unbutton a little — we're at the beach!" Unbutton comes from adding un-, "opposite of," to the verb button, "fasten with buttons."

Example Sentences

Unbutton your button-downs, you Ph.D.s who want jobs, and try some manual labor.

From Time Magazine Archive

"Unbutton your coat, sir, and throw what you have stolen on to this pile, where the rest of your thievish comrades have placed what they stole!"

From The Young Sharpshooter at Antietam by Tomlinson, Everett T. (Everett Titsworth)

Left alone with the man, the detectives laughed and Harry said: "Unbutton your coat and vest."

From The Bradys and the Girl Smuggler or, Working for the Custom House by Doughty, Francis Worcester

Unbutton, un-but′n, v.t. to loose the buttons of.

From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 4 of 4: S-Z and supplements) by Various

Unbutton your coat and waistcoat and hand 'em to me at once.

From The Shades of the Wilderness A Story of Lee's Great Stand by Altsheler, Joseph A. (Joseph Alexander)