butter
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
Or BATTER, praise or flattery. To BUTTER, to flatter, cajole. Same as "soft soap" and "soft sawder." Soft words generally. Maybe from the old proverb, "Fine words butter no parsneps."
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Where it’s used:
Origin
British & Irish English
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “butter” mean?
Or BATTER, praise or flattery. To BUTTER, to flatter, cajole. Same as "soft soap" and "soft sawder." Soft words generally. Maybe from the old proverb, "Fine words butter no parsneps."
Is “butter” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.