different between buttonhole vs eyelet

English

Etymology

Originally buttonhold (“a loop of string to hold a button down”), but changed by folk etymology by influence of hole; see the Wikipedia article on folk etymology

Pronunciation

Noun

buttonhole (plural buttonholes)

1. A hole through which a button is pushed to secure a garment or some part of one.
2. (chiefly Britain) A flower worn in a buttonhole for decoration.

   Synonym: boutonniere

3. (medicine) A small slot-like cut or incision, made for example by an accident with the scalpel.
   • 2011, George L. Spaeth, Helen Danesh-Meyer, Ivan Goldberg, Ophthalmic Surgery: Principles and Practice E-Book (page 220)

     The usual cause of conjunctival buttonholes is penetration of the tissue by the tip of a sharp instrument […]

Translations

Verb

buttonhole (third-person singular simple present buttonholes, present participle buttonholing, simple past and past participle buttonholed)

1. To detain (a person) in conversation against their will.

   Synonyms: accost, waylay

   • 1880, Mark Twain, A Tramp Abroad, Chapter 26,^[1]

     He backed Mr. Lykins against an iron fence, buttonholed him, fastened him with his eye, like the Ancient Mariner, and proceeded to unfold his narrative as placidly and peacefully as if we were all stretched comfortably in a blossomy summer meadow instead of being persecuted by a wintry midnight tempest:

   • 1936, Margaret Mitchell, Gone with the Wind, New York: Macmillan, Part 5, Chapter 50, p. 890,^[2]

     He buttonholed people on the street and related details of his child’s miraculous progress without even prefacing his remarks with the hypocritical but polite: “I know everyone thinks their own child is smart but—”

Derived terms

• buttonholer

Translations

English

Etymology

From Middle English oylet, from Old French oillet, equivalent to Old French oil (“eye”) + -et (diminutive suffix). Spelling as eye +? -let is due to folk etymology.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?a?.l?t/
• Homophone: islet

Noun

eyelet (plural eyelets)

1. An object that consists of a rim and small hole or perforation to receive a cord or fastener, as in garments, sails, etc. An eyelet may reinforce a hole.

   Push the aglet of the shoelace through each of the eyelets, one at a time.

2. A shaped metal embellishment containing a hole, used in scrapbook. Eyelets are typically set by punching a hole in the page, placing the smooth side of the eyelet on a table, positioning the paper over protruding edge and curling the edge down using a hammer and eyelet setter.
3. Cotton fabric with small holes.
4. The contact tip of the base of a light bulb.
5. A peephole.
6. A little eye.

Coordinate terms

• grommet

Translations

Verb

eyelet (third-person singular simple present eyelets, present participle eyeleting, simple past and past participle eyeleted)

1. (transitive) To make eyelets in.

References