to press the button
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
To set in motion, literally or figuratively, generally by simple means as the pressing of a button will start electrically-driven machinery or apparatus.
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 “to press the button” mean?
To set in motion, literally or figuratively, generally by simple means as the pressing of a button will start electrically-driven machinery or apparatus.
Is “to press the button” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.