button up
To close your shirt or jacket by doing up the buttons; or to tell someone to be quiet.
Meanings
To fasten all the buttons on a piece of clothing.
"It's cold outside — make sure you button up your coat before you leave."
(Informal) To stop talking, or to refuse to speak about something.
"He buttoned up completely when the police started asking questions about that night."
To complete or finalise something, ensuring all details are in order.
"Let's button up the contract details this afternoon so we can sign first thing tomorrow."
The literal sense (fastening buttons) is common and neutral. The figurative sense of going quiet or keeping information secret is informal. 'Button it' is a ruder variant of telling someone to be quiet. The figurative sense is less common than 'clam up' or 'zip it'.
Commonly used with
Forms
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Synonyms
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