General
butter
What does butter mean?
Mortar, in a bricklayer's mouth — and especially the act of applying it. You 'butter' a brick the way you butter toast: a smooth layer on the end before pressing it into place. Tells you the consistency they're after — spreadable, not soupy, not stiff.
"Butter the end of that brick and lay it tight to the line."
Origin
Trade slang from the obvious kitchen analogy — spreading mortar with a trowel mimics buttering bread.
Frequently asked questions
What does "butter" mean to a bricklayer?
On a building site, "butter" is mortar — specifically the dollop a bricklayer spreads on a brick before setting it in place.
How do you use "butter" in a sentence?
"Lay some butter on that brick before you set it down."
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Vocabulary Flow — saved to your collection.
