buckle

[buhk-uhl]

noun

1. a clasp consisting of a rectangular or curved rim with one or more movable tongues, fixed to one end of a belt or strap, used for fastening to the other end of the same strap or to another strap.

2. any similar contrivance used for such purposes.

3. an ornament of metal, beads, etc., of similar appearance.

4. a bend, bulge, or kink, as in a board or saw blade.

verb (used with object)

buckled, buckling 

1. to fasten with a buckle or buckles.

   Buckle your seat belt.

2. to shrivel, by applying heat or pressure; bend; curl.

3. to prepare (oneself ) for action; apply (oneself ) vigorously to something.

4. to bend, warp, or cause to give way suddenly, as with heat or pressure.

   Synonyms: collapse, crumple, twist, bulge, sag

verb (used without object)

buckled, buckling 

1. to close or fasten with a buckle.

   Grandmother always wore shoes that buckled.

2. to prepare oneself or apply oneself.

   The student buckled to the lesson.

3. to bend, warp, bulge, or collapse.

   The bridge buckled in the storm.

4. to yield, surrender, or give way to another (often followed byunder ).

   She refused to take the medicine, but buckled under when the doctor told her to.

verb phrase

1. buckle up,  to fasten one's belt, seat belt, or buckles.

   She won't start the car until we've all buckled up.

2. buckle down,  to set to work with vigor; concentrate on one's work.

   He was by nature a daydreamer and found it hard to buckle down.

buckle

/ ˈbʌkəl /

noun

1. a clasp for fastening together two loose ends, esp of a belt or strap, usually consisting of a frame with an attached movable prong

2. an ornamental representation of a buckle, as on a shoe

3. a kink, bulge, or other distortion

   a buckle in a railway track

verb

1. to fasten or be fastened with a buckle

2. to bend or cause to bend out of shape, esp as a result of pressure or heat

Other Word Forms

• buckleless adjective
• rebuckle verb

Word History and Origins

Origin of buckle¹

1300–50; Middle English bocle < Anglo-French bo ( u ) cle, bucle < Latin buc ( c ) ula cheekpiece (of a helmet), strip of wood, etc., resembling a cheekpiece, equivalent to bucc ( a ) cheek + -ula -ule

Word History and Origins

Origin of buckle¹

C14: from Old French bocle , from Latin buccula a little cheek, hence, cheek strap of a helmet, from bucca cheek

Example Sentences

The parade of dump trucks carting out tons of wreckage buckled the streets; repaving operations continue today.

From Los Angeles Times

At the commission's headquarters near Arras, Stephan showed us trays of objects which had been found there, including parts of boots, rusted belt buckles, shoulder badges, buttons and regimental insignia.

From BBC

After killing her, Tape moved her body from the driver's seat to the passenger seat, buckled the seat belt and drove away.

From BBC

Applicants wore suits, dresses, jeans, cowboy hats and boots, longhorn belt buckles.

From Los Angeles Times

He trains hard, mentally prepares himself and still buckles to fear.

From Salon

Related Words

• bend 
• cave in 
• crumple 
• fold 
• twist