What Does It Mean 'To Push Someone's Buttons'?

What Does It Mean 'To Push Someone's Buttons'?

And now Words and Their Stories, from VOA Learning¹ English.

The world is filled with buttons! Some buttons we press -- such as the ones needed to operate a vehicle or machinery².

Some buttons fasten our clothes. They keep are shirts closed and our pants from falling down.

In English, the word "button" is found in many useful and common expressions.

Let's talk about the kinds of buttons you press or push. Young children like to push buttons – even if nothing happens. There is something very satisfying about pushing a button.

Well, did you know that people have buttons too? However, these buttons are not physical things. Our buttons activate³ or trigger⁴ our feelings. They are things to which we feel sensitive.

So, some unkind⁵ people may find it satisfying to push people's buttons. If you push someone's buttons, you do something or talk about something that upsets them.

Button-pushers like to upset people by bringing up sore subjects. For example, a woman I used to know always tried to push my buttons by bringing up an old boyfriend. But then finally, I told her I did not not care. After that, she stopped trying to push the old boyfriend button.

However, pushing someone's buttons can also happen accidentally⁶. Sometimes we don't mean to, but we can bring up an issue that is touchy⁷ to someone else.

Now, let's talk about the kind of buttons on clothing.

As you know already, buttons are fasteners on our clothes. They keep them shut. Well, imagine if our mouths had buttons. We could fasten them shut to keep silent.

And that gives us some impolite expressions. They all mean to be quiet.

If I tell someone to button their mouth, button their lip or to simply button it, I am telling them to shut up. Like I said, the expressions are rude.

But there is another way we use "button" in our conversations.

For a button on our clothing to work, it needs a buttonhole. Otherwise, you can't fasten them. A buttonhole traps the button. So, if you buttonhole someone in a conversation, you trap them. Like a button that has slipped into a buttonhole, they cannot escape.

Now, you can buttonhole someone with a fun topic. But usually, we use this term when someone talks to you for a long time about something you don't want to hear. If you are buttonholed over an unpleasant topic, you can also say that someone had you cornered.

Now, let's hear some of these terms used between two friends.

A: Where have you been? I've been looking all over for you. Have you tried the cake? It is SO good.

B: I haven't had anything to eat or drink yet! Jen had me buttonholed for an hour about her work project.

A: Not cool. A party is NOT the place to corner someone about work.

B: And she knows I wanted to work on that project.

A: Really not cool! She just wants to push your buttons. And you're too nice to tell her to button it. Are you still upset about the project?

B: No, I'm over it. And I told her. I also told her that I don't want to talk about work anymore at a party.

A: Good. Not caring is the best way to deal with a button-pusher. Uh-oh. Look over there. Now she's got David buttonholed.

B: Poor guy. But he can take care of himself. Now, where is that cake you were talking about?

And that brings us to the end of this Words and Their Stories.

Words in This Story

fasten – v. to fix firmly or securely⁸

satisfying – adj. producing pleasure or contentment by providing what is needed or wanted

trigger – v. to cause an intense⁹ and usually negative emotional¹⁰ reaction in (someone)

sensitive – adj. easily hurt or damaged

sore – adj. causing emotional pain or distress¹¹

conversation – n.

corner – v. to catch and hold the attention of especially to force an interview

1 learning   

n.学问，学识，学习；动词learn的现在分词

参考例句：

• When you are learning to ride a bicycle,you often fall off.初学骑自行车时，常会从车上掉下来。
• Learning languages isn't just a matter of remembering words.学习语言不仅仅是记些单词的事。

2 machinery   

n.(总称)机械，机器；机构

参考例句：

• Has the machinery been put up ready for the broadcast?广播器材安装完毕了吗？
• Machinery ought to be well maintained all the time.机器应该随时注意维护。

3 activate   

vt.使活动起来，使开始起作用

参考例句：

• We must activate the youth to study.我们要激励青年去学习。
• These push buttons can activate the elevator.这些按钮能启动电梯。

4 trigger   

n.触发器，板机，制滑机；v.触发（事件）

参考例句：

• His index finger tightened on the trigger but then relaxed again.他的食指扣住扳机，然后又松开了。
• He pulled the trigger but the gun didn't go off.他打了一枪，没有发火。

5 unkind   

adj.不仁慈的，不和善的

参考例句：

• He was never unkind to her.他从未亏待过她。
• Unkindness often reacts on the unkind person.恶人有恶报。

6 accidentally   

adv.偶然地；意外地

参考例句：

• Mary accidentally let out that her mother had telephoned.玛丽无意中说出她的母亲来过电话。
• As I turned around,I accidentally hit him in the face.我转身时不经意撞了他的脸。

7 touchy   

adj.易怒的；棘手的

参考例句：

• Be careful what you say because he's touchy.你说话小心，因为他容易生气。
• He's a little touchy about his weight.他对自己的体重感到有点儿苦恼。

8 securely   

adv.安心地，安全地；牢固地；被妥善保管地

参考例句：

• She chained the wolf securely to the post.她用铁链把那只狼锁在那根柱子上。
• The straps hold the baby in securely.带子把婴儿安全地系在里面。

9 intense   

adj.认真的，专注的；强烈的；紧张的；热情的

参考例句：

• Susan was an intense young lady.苏珊是一个热情的年轻姑娘。
• The quarrel caused her intense unhappiness.争吵令她极其不快。

10 emotional   

adj.令人动情的；易动感情的；感情(上)的

参考例句：

• Emotional people don't stop to calculate.感情容易冲动的人做事往往不加考虑。
• This is an emotional scene in the play.这是剧中动人的一幕。

11 distress   

n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛

参考例句：

• Nothing could alleviate his distress.什么都不能减轻他的痛苦。
• Please don't distress yourself.请你不要忧愁了。