What is the meaning of the phrase ‘as bright as a button’?
Very intelligent and quick to learn.
What is the origin of the phrase ‘as bright as a button’?
The phrase, idiom, metaphor and simile ‘as bright as a button’ dates back to at least the 19th century, although the precise date remains unknown. It is a British phrase and is suspected to have derived from a military origin. At the time military uniforms featured shiny brass buttons. The phrase is likely to have risen through the association with visual brightness and intellectual brightness, also referred to as intelligence, having a quick wit or having mental sharpness.
What are some notable uses of the phrase ‘as bright as a button’?
James Joyce uses the phrase ‘bright as a button’ in his novel A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, released in 1916. It is used to describe the character Stephen Dedalus’ keen intelligence and sharp awareness of the world around him as he grows and develops into an artist. While Joyce’s novels are complex and rich with metaphors, this phrase is a simple and evocative way to convey the idea of someone who is bright and alert.
In the comedy series Jeeves and Wooster, the phrase ‘bright as a button’ is sometimes used to describe the cleverness and quick-thinking nature of Jeeves, the valet who consistently saves his employer, Bertie Wooster, from various predicaments. Jeeves, with his unparalleled problem-solving abilities, embodies the sharp-wittedness that the phrase conveys.
The phrase ‘bright as a button”’ is also used in the British period drama Downton Abbey, where characters frequently use idiomatic British expressions.
