noun A clasp with a hinged pin, used to fasten a belt or strap.
- Her new shoes have a shiny silver buckle on each strap.
- I lost the buckle from my backpack strap on the hike.
- The buckle on his belt was engraved with his initials.
verb To fasten something with a buckle.
- Please buckle your helmet before you ride your bike down the hill.
- The father bent down to buckle the toddler into her car seat.
- She buckled her seatbelt before the car pulled away.
verb To bend or collapse under pressure.
- The old wooden shelf began to buckle under the weight of all the books.
- The bridge girders buckled under the weight of the flood debris.
- His legs buckled with exhaustion after the marathon.
verb To give in to pressure or stress; to stop resisting.
- Don't buckle just because your friends keep pushing you to change your mind.
- After hours of questions, the nervous witness finally buckled and told the truth.
- The company buckled under public pressure and issued an apology.
