butt1 (but)

[Also sometimes (like all the other words spelled butt ) written but, early mod. E. butte, OF. buter, boter, push, butt, strike, mod. F. bouter, put, buter, intr. hit the mark, aim, tr. prop, buttre , = Pr. botar, boutar, butar = Sp. Pg. boiar = It. bottare, lance, butt are, push, thrust, throw, fling; perhaps To the same ult. source are referred bo 1, botch1, etc.; also abut, of which butt1 in some senses (II., 2, 3) is in part an abbr. form. Hence indirectly butt2, buttre , etc.] I. trans. To strike by thrusting, as with the end of a beam or heavy stick, or with the horns, tusks, or head, as an ox, a boar, or a ram; strike with the head. The bere in the bataile the bygger hym semyde, And byttes hyme boldlye wyth balefulle tuskez. Morte Arthure (E. E. T. S.), l. 791. Come, leave your tears: a brief farewell: - the beast With many heads butts me away. Shak ., Cor., iv. 1. II. in trans. 1. To strike anything by thrusting the head against it, as an ox or a ram; have a habit of striking in this manner. 736 Full butt, with the head directed at an object so as to strike it most effectively. Ffulle butt in the frunt the fromonde (forehead] he hittez, That the burnyscht blade to the brayne rynnez. Morte Arthure (E. E. T. S.), 1. 1112. The corporal ran full butt at the lieutenant. Marryat , Snarleyyow, I. vi.