noun

buckle

BUH-kuhl

noun

A clasp with a hinged pin, used to fasten a belt or strap.

"The buckle on his belt was engraved with his initials."

verb

To fasten something with a buckle.

"She buckled her seatbelt before the car pulled away."

To bend or collapse under pressure.

"The bridge girders buckled under the weight of the flood debris."

"His legs buckled with exhaustion after the marathon."

To give in to pressure or stress; to stop resisting.

"The company buckled under public pressure and issued an apology."

How to Use Buckle

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA clasp for fastening straps, or (as a verb) to fasten something, or to bend/give way under pressure.

Common mistake

Don't confuse "buckle" (bend/collapse) with "buckle down" (an idiom meaning to start working hard) — opposite kind of energy.

Common pairings

belt buckle buckle under pressure buckle down knees buckled

Word Forms

buckled past tense, buckled past tense, buckles plural, buckle plural, buckled plural, buckles plural, Buckles plural, buckles singular, buckle singular, buckled singular, bucklest singular, buckledst singular, buckleth singular, buckles singular

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The _____ on his belt was engraved with his initials.

Etymology

From Old French boucle ("metal ring for fastening"), from Latin buccula ("cheek strap of a helmet"), ultimately from bucca ("cheek"). The sense of collapsing under pressure likely grew out of an older meaning "to prepare oneself for battle" (as in strapping on armor).

Rhymes for buckle

suckle knuckle chuckle honeysuckle

See all rhymes for buckle →