Definitions for: Butterfly


[n] a swimming stroke in which the arms are thrown forward together out of the water while the feet kick up and down
[n] diurnal insect typically having a slender body with knobbed antennae and broad colorful wings
[v] talk or behave amorously, without serious intentions; "The guys always try to chat up the new secretaries"; "My husband never flirts with other women"
[v] cut and spread open, as in preparation for cooking; "butterflied shrimp"
[v] flutter like a butterfly



Webster (1913) Definition: But"ter*fly`, n.; pl. Butterflies. [Perh. from the
color of a yellow species. AS. buter-fl[=e]ge,
buttor-fle['o]ge; cf. G. butterfliege, D. botervlieg. See
Butter, and Fly.] (Zo["o]l.)
A general name for the numerous species of diurnal
Lepidoptera.

Note: [See Illust. under Aphrodite.]

Asclepias butterfly. See under Asclepias.

Butterfly fish (Zo["o]l.), the ocellated blenny ({Blennius
ocellaris}) of Europe. See Blenny. The term is also
applied to the flying gurnard.

Butterfly shell (Zo["o]l.), a shell of the genus Voluta.


Butterfly valve (Mech.), a kind of double clack valve,
consisting of two semicircular clappers or wings hinged to
a cross rib in the pump bucket. When open it somewhat
resembles a butterfly in shape.

Synonyms: butterfly stroke, chat up, coquet, coquette, dally, flirt, mash, philander, romance

See Also: brush-footed butterfly, danaid, danaid butterfly, dart, dolphin kick, fleet, flit, flutter, four-footed butterfly, lepidopteran, lepidopteron, lepidopterous insect, lycaenid, lycaenid butterfly, nymphalid, nymphalid butterfly, open, pierid, pierid butterfly, speak, spread, spread out, sulfur butterfly, sulphur butterfly, swimming stroke, talk, unfold, vamp, wanton

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