bread-and-butter

\\| ̷ ̷ ̷ ̷| ̷ ̷ ̷ ̷\ adjective

Etymology: bread and butter

1. now chiefly Britain : adolescent : marked by the weakness, naïveté, or forcelessness of a juvenile : schoolgirlish

a. : associated or connected with earning a livelihood, making money, or other mundane practical purposes

a practical bread-and-butter education

too busy with the bread-and-butter side of life to attend many social functions — A.T.Weaver

b. : staple, sustaining : dependable as a source of income often through being in steady demand

concentrating on bread-and-butter products rather than fads

don't overlook a bread-and-butter item that could be boosting your dollar volume — Circle & Monogram

3. : sent or given by way of thanks for hospitality

a bread-and-butter letter to his hostess

* * *

/bred"n but"euhr/, adj.

1. providing a livelihood or basic source of income; supplying the basic needs of life: a bread-and-butter job; the agency's bread-and-butter account.

2. of or pertaining to basic needs: housing and other bread-and-butter political issues.

3. basic or everyday; staple; routine.

4. expressing thanks for hospitality: a bread-and-butter letter.

[1720-30; adj. use of n. phrase bread and butter]

* * *

breadˈ-and-buttˈer noun

1. Bread sliced and buttered

2. Livelihood

adjective

1. Connected with making a living or with the consumption of bread-and-butter

2. Materialistic, practical

3. Youthful, naive

4. Ordinary, routine

• • •

Main Entry: ↑bread

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bread-and-butter UK US adjective

very important or the most basic

a bread-and-butter issue

Thesaurus: natural, basic and essential_synonym important_synonym

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bread and butter,

1. bread spread with butter.

2. Figurative. things necessary to live; a living; livelihood: »He earns his bread and butter by selling cars.

bread-and-butter «BREHD uhn BUHT uhr», adjective.

1. Informal. a) basic; staple: »Wagner's operas have never…been bread-and-butter items of the record companies as have Verdi and Puccini (Harper's).
b) prosaic; commonplace: »bread-and-butter situation comedy.
SYNONYM(S): mundane.

2. expressing thanks for hospitality: »a bread-and-butter letter.

3. Informal. of or like a boy or girl; adolescent: »bread-and-butter schoolgirls.

4. controlled by material wants and desires; mercenary: »bread-and-butter schemes.

* * *

adj, always used before a noun

1 : basic and important

bread-and-butter economic issues

2 : dependable as a source of income or success

the company's bread-and-butter products

His bread-and-butter pitch has always been his fastball.

* * *

ˌbread-and-ˈbutter [bread-and-butter] adjective only before noun

basic; very important

•

Employment and taxation are the bread-and-butter issues of politics.

Useful english dictionary. 2012.

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bread and butter — ˌbread and ˈbutter noun [singular] if something is your bread and butter, it is the thing that gives you your main income: • The paper s bread and butter is reporting local events in a small community . * * * bread and butter UK US noun [U]… … Financial and business terms
Bread and butter — Bread Bread (br[e^]d), n. [AS. bre[ a]d; akin to OFries. br[=a]d, OS. br[=o]d, D. brood, G. brod, brot, Icel. brau[eth], Sw. & Dan. br[ o]d. The root is probably that of E. brew. [root]93. See {Brew}.] 1. An article of food made from flour or… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Bread and butter — is a superstitious phrase from the 19th and early 20th centuries, typically used by young couples walking together when temporarily separated by an obstacle, such as a pole or another person.OriginThe exact origin of the phrase is unknown, but… … Wikipedia
bread-and-butter — adj [only before noun] 1.) BrE bread and butter questions are very important basic ones ▪ bread and butter political issues such as jobs and housing 2.) bread and butter work is work that is not very exciting but provides you with most of the… … Dictionary of contemporary English
bread-and-butter — bread and but•ter [[t]ˈbrɛd nˈbʌt ər[/t]] adj. 1) providing a livelihood or reliable income: the agency s bread and butter accounts[/ex] 2) of or pertaining to the basic needs of life 3) basic or everyday; staple; routine 4) expressing thanks for … From formal English to slang
bread and butter — issues are ones that affect people directly and in a very important way … The small dictionary of idiomes
bread and butter — noun uncount INFORMAL something that provides your main income: Tourism is the island s bread and butter … Usage of the words and phrases in modern English
bread-and-butter — adjective very important or the most basic: a bread and butter issue … Usage of the words and phrases in modern English
bread and butter — ► bread and butter a person s livelihood or main source of income. Main Entry: ↑bread … English terms dictionary
bread and butter — Bread and butter issues are ones that affect people directly and in a very important way. (Dorking School Dictionary) … English Idioms & idiomatic expressions
bread-and-butter — [bred n but′ər] adj. 1. relating to subsistence or to the product, work, etc. basically relied on for earnings 2. basic, commonplace, everyday, etc. ☆ 3. expressing thanks, as a letter sent to one s host or hostess after a visit … English World dictionary

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bread-and-butter

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bread-and-butter

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