As Bright As a Button (Origin)

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What Is the Origin of the Saying "As Bright As a Button"?

If someone is described as bright as a button, it means they are quick-witted.

The term as bright as a button is a play on words. It plays on the idea that bright means both clever and shiny. (Early military uniforms had highly polished metal buttons, and this will have contributed to the idea that buttons are bright.)

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See Also

What are idioms? What is figurative language? A list of common grammar errors A list of easily confused words A list of sayings and proverbs