butterfly : Dictionary / Wörterbuch (BEOLINGUS, TU Chemnitz)

English Dictionary: butterfly	by the DICT Development Group
2 results for butterfly
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
butterfly n diurnal insect typically having a slender body with knobbed antennae and broad colorful wings a swimming stroke in which the arms are thrown forward together out of the water while the feet kick up and down Synonym(s): butterfly, butterfly stroke v flutter like a butterfly cut and spread open, as in preparation for cooking; "butterflied shrimp" talk or behave amorously, without serious intentions; "The guys always try to chat up the new secretaries"; "My husband never flirts with other women" Synonym(s): chat up, flirt, dally, butterfly, coquet, coquette, romance, philander, mash
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]:
Butterfly \But"terfly`\, n.; pl. {Butterflies}. [Perh. from the color of a yellow species. AS. buter-fl[c7]ge, buttor-fle[a2]ge; cf. G. butterfliege, D. botervlieg. See {Butter}, and {Fly}.] (Zo[94]l.) A general name for the numerous species of diurnal Lepidoptera. Note: [See Illust. under {Aphrodite}.] {Asclepias butterfly}. See under {Asclepias}. {Butterfly* fish} (Zo[94]l.), the ocellated blenny ({Blennius ocellaris}) of Europe. See {Blenny}. The term is also applied to the flying gurnard. {Butterfly shell} (Zo[94]l.), a shell of the genus {Voluta}. {Butterfly valve} (Mech.), a kind of double clack valve, consisting of two semicircular clappers or wings hinged to a cross rib in the pump bucket. When open it somewhat resembles a butterfly in shape.