the buttons come off the foils
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
Figuratively, the courtesies of controversy are neglected. The button of a foil is the piece of cork fixed to the end to protect the point and prevent injury m fencing.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “the buttons come off the foils” mean?
Figuratively, the courtesies of controversy are neglected. The button of a foil is the piece of cork fixed to the end to protect the point and prevent injury m fencing.
Is “the buttons come off the foils” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.