<p><strong>Noun</strong></p><ul><li>the fatty portion of milk, separating as a soft whitish or yellowish solid when milk or cream is agitated or churned.</li><li>this substance, processed for cooking and table use.</li><li>any of various other soft spreads for bread: apple butter; peanut butter.</li><li>any of various substances of butterlike consistency, as various metallic chlorides, and certain vegetable oils solid at ordinary temperatures.</li></ul><p><strong>Verb (used with object)</strong></p><ul><li>to put butter on or in; spread or grease with butter.</li><li>to apply a liquefied bonding material to (a piece or area), as mortar to a course of bricks.</li><li>Metalworking: to cover (edges to be welded together) with a preliminary surface of the weld metal.</li></ul><p><strong>Verb Phrase (Informal)</strong></p><ul><li>to flatter someone in order to gain a favor: He suspected that they were buttering him up when everyone suddenly started being nice to him.</li></ul>