Buttons are found on all sorts of clothing . They are usually small and round and made of metal or plastic . They fasten , or connect , one piece of clothing to another . They make sure your clothes don't fall off . When speaking or writing in English , buttons can be just as useful . Some buttons can be beautiful and even have very fine details . But are they cute ? To be cute as a button is an old saying . It means to be attractive or sweet , but in a small way . Babies are often described as cute as a button . Language experts don't know why . But they do say this expression dates back to the late 1860s . Men or women often wear button-down shirts to the office . Button-down as an adjective means to be conservative or traditional . People described as buttoned-down stay close as possible to the normal way of dressing and behaving . They don't wear crazy clothing or do unusual things . People and events can both be described as buttoned-down . We should note here that as an adjective you can either say "buttoned-down ” or “button-down .” However , the adjective buttoned-up is a little different . In personal relationships , a buttoned-up person is cold and standoffish , meaning they physically and emotionally keep away from others . Buttoned-up people are not warm or friendly . And they do not share their inner thoughts and feelings with others . Using buttoned-up as an adjective always uses “buttoned .” In the expression button up , “button ” is a verb . It means to stop talking . There are many other ways “button ” is used as a verb . When you fasten a button , you can also just say button a button . So , you can say to a friend , "Hey , your top button is unbuttoned . You should button it ." When button a button you slip it into a buttonhole . A buttonhole traps the button . So , to buttonhole someone means you have trapped them in a spoken conversation . Now , let's say you find yourself buttonholed in a conversation at a party . The person just keeps talking and talking and talking ! Finally , you can't take it any longer . You tell the person to button it ! This is a direct , but unacceptable way of saying , “Stop talking !” Button your lip is another equally rude but effective way to stop a person who talks too much . Keep in mind these expressions should only be used in extreme situations with difficult people . Another kind of difficult person is someone who pushes your buttons . To push someone's buttons means to know exactly how to get that person angry or upset . People who like to push other people's buttons usually do it for selfish reasons . First they find a person's weak point . Then they use it to upset them . People who push the panic button are not as disliked as button-pushers . However , they can be tiring to others . In a crisis , it is important to remain calm . Pushing the panic button can make an already tense situation worse . However , to have your finger on the button is a serious expression , especially when you are president of the United States . It means you have the ability to launch a nuclear attack . In a U.S . presidential election campaign , voters are sometimes asked the question , “Do you really want that person to have their finger on the button ?” That is a way of saying the candidate cannot be trusted . Speaking of politics , in political discussions there are many hot button issues . These days in the United States , illegal immigration is a hot button issue . A hot button issue is one that causes people to react with strong emotion . Many people cannot talk about it without getting worked up . Such issues can often lead to arguments . Now , let's hear how to use some of these button expressions in a short dialogue . Did you have fun at the party last night ? Most of the people I talked to were buttoned-down political types . All they wanted to talk about were the hot-button issues from the election campaign . Two of them tried to buttonhole me into a political conversation . But I avoided getting involved . How did you do that ? I brought up some other heated issues , ones that I knew would push their buttons . When they began arguing , I was able to slip away . Good for you . I got buttonholed with a few people for an hour . How did you finally get away from them ? I pushed the panic button . I yelled , “Look ! Everyone shouted and ran away . I'll have to remember that one . But don't push the panic button ! We'll be back next week .