buttonhook
noun
but·ton·hook
ˈbə-tᵊn-ˌhu̇k 
1
: a hook for drawing small buttons through buttonholes
2
: an offensive play in football in which the pass receiver runs straight downfield and then abruptly cuts back toward the line of scrimmage
buttonhook
intransitive verb
Examples of buttonhook in a Sentence
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The route begins in Boerum Hill with a buttonhook into the historical affluence of Brooklyn Heights before doubling back through Cobble Hill and Carroll Gardens.
—
Justin Beal,
Harper’s Magazine ,
14 Dec. 2022
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Justin Beal,
Harper’s Magazine ,
14 Dec. 2022
Cite this Entry
“Buttonhook.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/buttonhook. Accessed 4 Jul. 2026.
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