buck

[ buhk ]

/ bʌk /

Save This Word!

See synonyms for buck on Thesaurus.com

noun

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

the male of certain other animals, as the shad.

an impetuous, dashing, or spirited man or youth.

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

buckskin.

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

adjective

Military. of the lowest of several ranks involving the same principal designation, hence subject to promotion within the rank: buck private; buck sergeant.

QUIZ

WILL YOU SAIL OR STUMBLE ON THESE GRAMMAR QUESTIONS?

Smoothly step over to these common grammar mistakes that trip many people up. Good luck!

Question 1 of 7

Fill in the blank: I can’t figure out _____ gave me this gift.

who

whom

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of buck

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

Words nearby buck

Buchman, Buchmanism, Buchner, Buchner funnel, buchu, buck, buck and wing, buckaroo, buck bean, buckboard, bucked

Other definitions for buck (2 of 9)

buck²

[ buhk ]

/ bʌk /

verb (used without object)

(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.

Informal. to resist or oppose obstinately; object strongly: The mayor bucked at the school board's suggestion.

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

verb (used with object)

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

to force a way through or proceed against (an obstacle): The plane bucked a strong headwind.

to strike with the head; butt.

to resist or oppose obstinately; object strongly to.

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

to gamble, play, or take a risk against: He was bucking the odds when he bought that failing business.

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

noun

an act of bucking.

Verb Phrases

buck for, to strive for a promotion or some other advantage: to buck for a raise.

buck up, to make or become more cheerful, vigorous, etc.: She knew that with a change of scene she would soon buck up.

Origin of buck

First recorded in 1845–50; verbal use of buck¹, influenced in some senses by buck³

Other definitions for buck (3 of 9)

buck³

[ buhk ]

/ bʌk /

noun

a sawbuck; sawhorse.

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.

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

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.

verb (used with object)

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

Verb Phrases

buck in, Surveying, Optical Tooling. to set up an instrument in line with two marks.

Origin of buck

First recorded in1855–60; short for sawbuck¹

Other definitions for buck (4 of 9)

buck⁴

[ buhk ]

/ bʌk /

noun

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

verb (used with object)

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.

Origin of buck

⁴

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

Other definitions for buck (5 of 9)

buck⁵

[ buhk ]

/ bʌk /

adverb Informal.

completely; stark: buck naked.

Origin of buck

⁵

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

Other definitions for buck (6 of 9)

buck⁶

[ buhk ]

/ bʌk /

noun Slang.

a dollar.

Origin of buck

⁶

An Americanism dating to 1855–60; perhaps buck¹ in sense “buckskin” (deerskins were used by Indians and frontiersmen as a unit of exchange in transactions with merchants)

Other definitions for buck (7 of 9)

buck⁷

[ buhk ]

/ bʌk /

verb (used without object), noun Indian English.

bukh.

Other definitions for buck (8 of 9)

buck⁸

[ buhk ]

/ bʌk /

British Dialect

noun

lye used for washing clothes.

clothes washed in lye.

verb (used with object)

to wash or bleach (clothes) in lye.

Origin of buck

⁸

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

Other definitions for buck (9 of 9)

Buck

[ buhk ]

/ bʌk /

noun

Pearl (Sy·den·strick·er)

[sahyd-n-strik-er], /ˈsaɪd nˌstrɪk ər/, 1892–1973, U.S. novelist: Nobel Prize 1938.

a male given name.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use buck in a sentence

Sure, some topflight models can set you back thousands if you go for as many premium features as possible, but you can definitely get a decent cheap adjustable desk for no more than a couple hundred bucks.
Best adjustable desks: Stand or sit with double-duty office furniture|PopSci Commerce Team|February 26, 2021|Popular-Science
This cheap ergonomic keyboard packs a major bang for its buck.
Best ergonomic keyboards for hand and wrist pain|PopSci Commerce Team|February 26, 2021|Popular-Science
Mercenary CEOs know all too well that this is about the most bang you can get for your buck.
TechCrunch Early Stage is the startup bootcamp you’ve always needed|Jordan Crook|February 26, 2021|TechCrunch
In particular, a recurrent “cold blob” has been observed in the ocean to the south of Greenland — a large region that is bucking the overall global warming trend and instead showing a marked cooling pattern.
Scientists see stronger evidence of slowing Atlantic Ocean circulation, an ‘Achilles’ heel’ of the climate|Chris Mooney, Andrew Freedman|February 25, 2021|Washington Post

That means whatever they’re doing—streaming a Netflix movie in ultrahigh definition, updating their operating system, watching endless hours of TikTok—they’re doing on your buck.
How to create a Wi-Fi hotspot on your phone or computer|Sandra Gutierrez G.|February 24, 2021|Popular-Science
Congress is attempting to pass the buck on federal funding for education.
The ‘No Child’ Rewrite Threatens Your Kids’ Future|Jonah Edelman|January 3, 2015|DAILY BEAST
President Harry Truman kept a sign on his desk that read: “The Buck Stops Here.”
The ‘No Child’ Rewrite Threatens Your Kids’ Future|Jonah Edelman|January 3, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Jamming Netanyahu at the UN will buck him up among the right.
Why We Should Delay The Israel-Palestinian Peace Process|Aaron David Miller|December 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Some things have changed a lot since 1984 when the errant Father Buck wrote to his young love interest.
How Sicko Priests Got Away With It|Barbie Latza Nadeau|November 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
So often enough, those urchins are buck-naked and streaming wet.
Kailash Satyarthi, Malala's Nobel Peace Prize Co-Winner, Is Fighting India's Child Slavery Epidemic|Dilip D’Souza|October 11, 2014|DAILY BEAST
G was a gamester, who had but ill-luck; H was a Hunter, who hunted a buck.
Boys and Girls Bookshelf; a Practical Plan of Character Building, Volume I (of 17)|Various
We squatted in the long grass and buck-brush, listening, and a few seconds later heard a horse snort distinctly.
Raw Gold|Bertrand W. Sinclair
The buck had been passed, let the boys sitting on their backsides down on Earth handle it.
The Stars, My Brothers|Edmond Hamilton
It was a huge buck, with wide-spreading antlers, rising out of the bushes where it stood.
Love's Pilgrimage|Upton Sinclair
The bread is made of wheat meal, but in some cottages consisted of thin cakes without leven, and made of buck-wheat.
Travels through the South of France and the Interior of Provinces of Provence and Languedoc in the Years 1807 and 1808|Lt-Col. Pinkney

British Dictionary definitions for buck (1 of 5)

buck¹

/ (bʌk) /

noun

the male of various animals including the goat, hare, kangaroo, rabbit, and reindeer
(as modifier)a buck antelope

Southern African an antelope or deer of either sex

US informal a young man

archaic a robust spirited young man

archaic a dandy; fop

the act of bucking

verb

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

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

(when intr , often foll by against) informal, mainly US and Canadian to resist or oppose obstinatelyto buck against change; to buck change

(tr; usually passive) informal to cheer or encourageI was very bucked at passing the exam

US and Canadian informal (esp of a car) to move forward jerkily; jolt

US and Canadian to charge against (something) with the head down; butt

Derived forms of buck

bucker, noun

Word Origin for buck

Old English bucca he-goat; related to Old Norse bukkr, Old High German bock, Old Irish bocc

British Dictionary definitions for buck (2 of 5)

buck²

/ (bʌk) /

noun

US, Canadian and Australian informal a dollar

Southern African informal a rand

a fast buck easily gained money

bang for one's buck See bang 1 (def. 15)

Word Origin for buck

C19: of obscure origin

British Dictionary definitions for buck (3 of 5)

buck³

/ (bʌk) /

noun

gymnastics a type of vaulting horse

US and Canadian a stand for timber during sawingAlso called (in Britain and certain other countries): sawhorse

verb

(tr) US and Canadian to cut (a felled or fallen tree) into lengths

Word Origin for buck

C19: short for sawbuck

British Dictionary definitions for buck (4 of 5)

buck⁴

/ (bʌk) /

noun

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

pass the buck informal to shift blame or responsibility onto another

the buck stops here informal the ultimate responsibility lies here

Word Origin for buck

C19: probably from buckhorn knife, placed before a player in poker to indicate that he was the next dealer

British Dictionary definitions for buck (5 of 5)

Buck

/ (bʌk) /

noun

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

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with buck

buck

In addition to the idioms beginning with buck

buck for
buckle down
buckle under
buckle up
buck stops here, the
buck up

also see:

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

buck

Origin of buck

Words nearby buck

Other definitions for buck (2 of 9)

Origin of buck

Other definitions for buck (3 of 9)

Origin of buck

Other definitions for buck (4 of 9)

Origin of buck

Other definitions for buck (5 of 9)

Origin of buck

Other definitions for buck (6 of 9)

Origin of buck

Other definitions for buck (7 of 9)

Other definitions for buck (8 of 9)

Origin of buck

Other definitions for buck (9 of 9)

Words related to buck

How to use buck in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for buck (1 of 5)

Derived forms of buck

Word Origin for buck

British Dictionary definitions for buck (2 of 5)

Word Origin for buck

British Dictionary definitions for buck (3 of 5)

Word Origin for buck

British Dictionary definitions for buck (4 of 5)

Word Origin for buck

British Dictionary definitions for buck (5 of 5)

Other Idioms and Phrases with buck