See Also: sea butterfly(medicine)
butterfly(dictionary)
butterfly(dictionary)
butterfly(encyclopedia)
Butterfly(money)
butterfly(medicine)
butterfly weed(encyclopedia)
copper (butterfly)(encyclopedia)
monarch butterfly(encyclopedia)
sulphur butterfly(encyclopedia)

butterfly (iou)



butterfly noun. OE.
[from BUTTER noun1 + FLY noun1, perh. with ref. to the yellow or creamy-white colour of familiar species such as the brimstone.]
Any of a large group of insects which together with moths constitute the order Lepidoptera and are distinguished from moths (in most instances) by diurnal activity, clubbed or dilated antennae, thin bodies, the usu. erect position of the wings when at rest, and brighter colouring. OE.
break a butterfly on a wheel use unnecessary force in destroying something fragile. brimstone butterfly, comma butterfly, monarch butterfly, peacock butterfly, tortoiseshell butterfly, etc.
fig.
a. A showy or frivolous person. L16.
social butterfly: see SOCIAL adjective.
b. A person whose period of work or occupation of a place is transitory or seasonal. L19.
Usu. in pl. Fluttering sensations felt before any formidable venture. Esp. in butterflies in the stomach etc. E20.
Sunday Times I always have butterflies when I open Parliament.
In full butterfly stroke. A swimming stroke in which both arms are lifted out of the water at the same time. M20.
Comb.: butterfly blenny a blenny, Blennius ocellaris, having a broad, ocellated dorsal fin; butterfly bow a bow made up or tied with the loop and end on each side spread apart like the expanded wings of a butterfly; butterfly bush a buddleia, esp. the species Buddleja davidii; butterfly cake a small sponge cake with the top cut off and divided into two pieces, which are then fixed to the cake with buttercream at an angle to resemble a butterfly's wings; butterfly effect (with ref. to chaos theory) the phenomenon whereby a minute localized change in a complex system can eventually lead to a large effect elsewhere; butterfly-fish any of various fishes suggesting a butterfly in shape or coloration, esp. (a) = butterfly blenny above; (b) = CHAETODON; butterfly flower (a) a papilionaceous flower; (b) = SCHIZANTHUS; butterfly kiss a fluttering of the eyelashes against the cheek; butterfly knife a long, broad knife used in pairs in some forms of kung fu; butterfly net: for catching butterflies; butterfly nose a dog's nose when spotted or mottled; butterfly nut a wing-nut; butterfly orchid any of various orchids with flowers resembling a butterfly in shape; esp. either of two widely distributed European orchids, Platanthera chlorantha and P. bifolia, with whitish or greenish-white flowers; butterfly pea a S. American leguminous plant (esp. of the genus Clitoria), with papilionaceous flowers; butterfly stroke: see sense 4 above; butterfly valve a valve with hinged semicircular plates; butterfly weed N. Amer. a milkweed, esp. the orange-flowered Asclepias tuberosa.