buck

¹ American  

[buhk] / bʌk /

noun

1. the male of the deer, antelope, rabbit, hare, sheep, or goat.

2. the male of certain other animals, as the shad.

3. an impetuous, dashing, or spirited man or youth.

4. Disparaging and Offensive.  a contemptuous term used to refer to an American Indian male or an African American male.

5. buckskin.

6. bucks, casual oxford shoes made of buckskin, often in white or a neutral color.

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adjective

1. Military.  of the lowest of several ranks involving the same principal designation, hence subject to promotion within the rank.

   buck private; buck sergeant.

buck ² American  

[buhk] / bʌk /

verb (used without object)

1. (of a saddle or pack animal) to leap with arched back and come down with head low and forelegs stiff, in order to dislodge a rider or pack.

2. Informal.  to resist or oppose obstinately; object strongly.

   The mayor bucked at the school board's suggestion.

3. (of a vehicle, motor, or the like) to operate unevenly; move by jerks and bounces.

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verb (used with object)

1. to throw or attempt to throw (a rider or pack) by bucking.

2. to force a way through or proceed against (an obstacle).

   The plane bucked a strong headwind.

3. to strike with the head; butt.

4. to resist or oppose obstinately; object strongly to.

5. Football.  (of a ball-carrier) to charge into (the opponent's line).

6. to gamble, play, or take a risk against.

   He was bucking the odds when he bought that failing business.

7. to press a reinforcing device against (the force of a rivet) in order to absorb vibration and increase expansion.

noun

1. an act of bucking.

verb phrase

1. buck up  to make or become more cheerful, vigorous, etc..

   She knew that with a change of scene she would soon buck up.

2. buck for  to strive for a promotion or some other advantage.

   to buck for a raise.

buck ³ American  

[buhk] / bʌk /

noun

1. a sawbuck; sawhorse.

2. Gymnastics.  a cylindrical, leather-covered block mounted in a horizontal position on a single vertical post set in a steel frame, for use chiefly in vaulting.

3. any of various heavy frames, racks, or jigs used to support materials or partially assembled items during manufacture, as in airplane assembly plants.

4. Also called door buck.  a doorframe of wood or metal set in a partition, especially one of light masonry, to support door hinges, hardware, finish work, etc.

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verb (used with object)

1. U.S. and Canadian  to split or saw (logs, felled trees, etc.).

verb phrase

1. buck in  to set up an instrument in line with two marks.

buck ⁴ American  

[buhk] / bʌk /

noun

1. Poker.  any object in the pot that reminds the winner of some privilege or obligation when their turn to deal next comes.

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verb (used with object)

1. to pass (something) along to another, especially as a means of avoiding responsibility or blame.

   He bucked the letter on to the assistant vice president to answer.

idioms

1. pass the buck,  to shift responsibility or blame to another person.

   Never one to admit error, he passed the buck to his subordinates.

buck ⁵ American  

[buhk] / bʌk /

adverb

Informal.

1. completely; stark.

   buck naked.

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buck ⁶ American  

[buhk] / bʌk /

noun

Slang.

1. a dollar.

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buck ⁷ American  

[buhk] / bʌk /

verb (used without object)

Indian English.

1. bukh.

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buck ⁸ American  

[buhk] / bʌk /

noun

1. lye used for washing clothes.

2. clothes washed in lye.

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verb (used with object)

1. to wash or bleach (clothes) in lye.

Buck ⁹ American  

[buhk] / bʌk /

noun

1. Pearl (Sydenstricker) 1892–1973, U.S. novelist: Nobel Prize 1938.

2. a male given name.

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buck ¹ British  

/ bʌk /

noun

1. 1. the male of various animals including the goat, hare, kangaroo, rabbit, and reindeer

   2. ( as modifier )

      a buck antelope

2. an antelope or deer of either sex

3. informal  a young man

4. archaic  a robust spirited young man

5. archaic  a dandy; fop

6. the act of bucking

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verb

1. (intr) (of a horse or other animal) to jump vertically, with legs stiff and back arched

2. (tr) (of a horse, etc) to throw (its rider) by bucking

3. informal  to resist or oppose obstinately

   to buck against change

   to buck change

4. informal  (tr; usually passive) to cheer or encourage

   I was very bucked at passing the exam

5. informal  (esp of a car) to move forward jerkily; jolt

6. to charge against (something) with the head down; butt

buck ² British  

/ bʌk /

noun

1. informal  a dollar

2. informal  a rand

3. easily gained money

4. See bang 1

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buck ³ British  

/ bʌk /

noun

1. gymnastics a type of vaulting horse

2. Also called (in Britain and certain other countries): sawhorse.  a stand for timber during sawing

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verb

1. (tr) to cut (a felled or fallen tree) into lengths

buck ⁴ British  

/ bʌk /

noun

1. poker a marker in the jackpot to remind the winner of some obligation when his turn comes to deal

2. informal  to shift blame or responsibility onto another

3. informal  the ultimate responsibility lies here

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Buck ⁵ British  

/ bʌk /

noun

1. Pearl S ( ydenstricker ). 1892–1973, US novelist, noted particularly for her novel of Chinese life The Good Earth (1931): Nobel prize for literature 1938

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buck More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing buck

• big bucks
• fast buck
• more bang for the buck
• pass the buck

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Other Word Forms

• bucker noun

Etymology

Origin of buck¹

First recorded before 1000; Middle English bukke, Old English bucca “he-goat,” bucc “male deer”; cognate with Dutch bok, German Bock, Old Norse bukkr; buck ¹ defs. 5, 6, by shortening

Origin of buck²

First recorded in 1845–50; verbal use of buck ¹, influenced in some senses by buck ³

Origin of buck³

First recorded in 1855–60; short for sawbuck ¹

Origin of buck⁴

First recorded in 1860–65; short for buckhorn knife, used as a reminder in poker

Origin of buck⁵

An Americanism dating back to 1925–30; of obscure origin

Origin of buck⁶

An Americanism dating to 1855–60; perhaps buck ¹ in sense “buckskin” (deerskins were used by Indians and frontiersmen as a unit of exchange in transactions with merchants)

Origin of buck⁸

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English verb bouken; compare Middle Low German buken, büken “to steep in lye,” Middle High German būchen, German bäuchen, beuchen

Example Sentences

“Chinese equities are bucking the risk off elsewhere this morning, possibly on stimulus hopes given the data,” noted Jim Reid, a strategist at Deutsche Bank.

From Barron's

After graduation he decided to buck the usual trend and stay in town.

From Los Angeles Times

Some companies are managing to buck the broader trend.

From The Wall Street Journal

Black Friday shoppers flocked to stores, hoping to get more bags for their buck as they grapple with inflation, tariffs and anxiety about the health of the economy.

From Los Angeles Times

But that doesn’t mean big companies are all getting the same bang for their buck, or that they are delivering for their investors.

From MarketWatch

Related Words

• oppose
• withstand