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HSS Posted 20 years ago
Grammar

Button up and Button Down

"Button(ed)-up" and "button(ed) down" --- how do you use them? I've used them for long, but now that I try to tell the difference, I can't really. Buttoned-down is used for shirts with the collars fastened at the ends, and buttoned-up is used for when you have all the buttons on your shirt fastened, isn't it?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Hiro
  

Top answer

That sounds right to me! Buttoned-down is also an idiomatic way of describing a conservative person. CJ

— CalifJim

  • That sounds right to me!
  • Buttoned-down is also an idiomatic way of describing a conservative person.
  • CJ
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5 Answers
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That sounds right to me!

Buttoned-down is also an idiomatic way of describing a conservative person.

CJ
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Couldn't we also say buttoned-up for a conservative person?

Hiro
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Hi,

It can certainly be hard to distinguish between these two expressions. Possibly, you might be able to take this general appproach.

'Button down' suggests 'securing something'. Thus, if you button down your collar, you keep the points from moving around and from curling up. If a hurricane is coming, you button everything down..

'Button up' suggests 'closing som
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Couldn't we also say buttoned-up for a conservative person?

Apparently, from Marius' post, you can. I've never heard buttoned-up for a conservative person.

CJ
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