Link Centre Dictionary

buckle

UK/ˈbʌkəl/ US/ˈbʌkɫ̩/ fairly common uk us
verb (3) noun (2)

verb

1.

fasten with a buckle or buckles

Synonyms
Antonyms
2.

fold or collapse

  • “His knees buckled”
Synonyms
3.

bend out of shape, as under pressure or from heat

  • “The highway buckled during the heat wave”
Synonyms

noun

1.

fastener that fastens together two ends of a belt or strap; often has loose prong

2.

a shape distorted by twisting or folding

Synonyms

Origin

The noun is derived from Middle English bokel (“spiked metal ring for fastening; ornamental clasp; boss of a shield; a shield, buckler; (figurative) means of defence”) [and other forms], from Old French boucle, bocle (“spiked metal ring for fastening; boss of a shield; a shield”) [and other forms], from Latin buccula (“cheek strap of a helmet; boss of a shield”) (from bucca (“soft part of the cheek”)). Noun etymology 1, noun sense 2 (“great conflict or struggle”) is probably derived from verb etymology 1, verb sense 1.2.1 (“to apply (oneself) to, or prepare (oneself) for, a task or work”). The verb is derived from Middle English bokelen, bukelen (“to fasten (something) with a buckle or clasp; to fasten, make fast; to wrap; to arch the body”) [and other forms], from bokel (noun) (see above) + -en (suffix forming the infinitive of verbs). In verb etymology 1, verb sense 1.2.1, the sense “to apply (oneself) to, or prepare (oneself) for, a task or work” was derived from the now obsolete sense “to equip (oneself) for a battle, etc.”, and originally alluded to armour being buckled on to the body.

Phrases

  • belt buckle
  • bread buckle
  • buckle bunny
  • buckle down
  • buckle hat
  • buckle in
  • buckle over
  • buckle to
  • buckle under
  • buckle up
  • cover the buckle
  • scleral buckle

Related words

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WordNet 2.1 (Princeton University). Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. WordNet 2.1 Copyright Princeton University. All rights reserved. Wiktionary content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence.