Also 4–6 butte. [cogn. w. Sw. butta turbot, mod.G. butte, Du. bot, flounder; of obscure origin: perh. from the blunt shape of the head (cf. Da. but stumpy, and BUTT sb.3). See HALIBUT.]
A name applied variously in different places to kinds of flat fish, as sole, fluke, plaice, turbot, etc.
Hence butt-woman, who sells these, a fish-wife.
a. 1300. Havelok, 759. He tok … Hering, and the makerel, The butte, the schulle, the thornebake.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 56. But, fysche, pecten.
1530. Palsgr., 202/1. Butte fysshe, plye.
1599. Nashe, Lenten Stuffe (1871), 79. The plaice and the butt … for their mocking have wry mouths ever since.
1655. Moufet & Bennet, Health’s Improv. (1746), 266. Whilst they [Turbots] be young … they are called Butts.
1776. Cowper, Corr. (1824), I. 30. Whatever fish are likely … butts, plaice, flounder, or any other.
1886. R. C. Leslie, Sea-painter’s Log, x. 192. The butt or sole, the turbot, the halibut … all belong to that strange family of fish.
1620. Melton, Astrolog., 37. Sell their good Fortunes to Oyster-wives and Butte-women for greasie Two-pences.
