buckle

American  

[buhk-uhl] / ˈbʌk əl /

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.

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verb (used with object)

buckles, present (3rd person singular) buckled, past participle, past buckling present participle

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)

buckles, present (3rd person singular) buckled, past participle, past buckling present participle

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 British  

/ 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

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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

Derived Forms

• buckleless
  adjective
• rebuckle
  verb

Conjugated Forms

Present

• has buckled
  perfect 3rd person singular
• have buckled
  perfect
• are buckling
  progressive
• has been buckling
  perfect progressive 3rd person singular
• is buckling
  progressive 3rd person singular
• buckling
  participle
• have been buckling
  perfect progressive
• am buckling
  progressive 1st person singular
• buckles
  singular 3rd person

Past

• had buckled
  perfect
• were buckling
  progressive plural
• was buckling
  progressive singular
• buckled
  participle
• buckled
  simple
• had been buckling
  perfect progressive

Future

• will buckle
  simple
• will have buckled
  perfect
• will be buckling
  progressive
• will have been buckling
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of buckle

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

Explanation

A buckle is a clasp or fastener, such as the one on the end of a belt. In the old days, not only belts but also shoes had buckles. When you fasten your belt buckle, you can say you buckle it — you also buckle your seat belt and buckle a kid's bike helmet under his chin. When the ground buckles during an earthquake, it folds or bends out of shape, and when your knees buckle, you could fall. You might also buckle under pressure or stress. The Latin root word is buccula, "cheek strap of a helmet."

Example Sentences

BUCKLE, Mr., doubts as to the importance of inheritance.

From The Variation of Animals and Plants under Domestication — Volume 2 by Darwin, Charles

To BUCKLE, v. a. to join together, as in marriage.

From Wilson's Tales of the Borders and of Scotland, Volume XXIV. by Leighton, Alexander

Related Words

• bend
• cave in
• crumple
• fold
• twist