buckle
see also: Buckle
Pronunciation
  • (British) IPA: /ˈbʌk(ə)l/
  • (America) IPA: /ˈbʌk(ə)l/
Verb

buckle (buckles, present participle buckling; past and past participle buckled)

  1. (intransitive) To distort or collapse under physical pressure; especially, of a slender structure in compression.
    • 2012 October 31, David M. Halbfinger, "," New York Times (retrieved 31 October 2012):
      Perhaps as startling as the sheer toll was the devastation to some of the state’s well-known locales. Boardwalks along the beach in Seaside Heights, Belmar and other towns on the Jersey Shore were blown away. Amusement parks, arcades and restaurants all but vanished. Bridges to barrier islands buckled, preventing residents from even inspecting the damage to their property.
  2. (transitive) To make bend; to cause to become distorted.
  3. (intransitive, figuratively) To give in; to react suddenly or adversely to stress or pressure (of a person).
    It is amazing that he has never buckled after so many years of doing such urgent work.
  4. (intransitive) To yield; to give way; to cease opposing.
    • The Dutch, as high as they seem, do begin to buckle.
  5. (obsolete, intransitive) To enter upon some labour or contest; to join in close fight; to contend.
    • The bishop was as able and ready to buckle with the Lord Protector as he was with him.
    • c. 1597, William Shakespeare, “The First Part of Henry the Fourth, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: Printed by Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358 ↗, [Act I, scene ii]:
      In single combat thou shalt buckle with me.
  6. To buckle down; to apply oneself.
    • To make our sturdy humour buckle thereto.
    • Before buckling to my winter's work.
    • Cartwright buckled himself to the employment.
Translations
  • French: se déformer
  • German: sich biegen
  • Portuguese: entortar
Translations Translations Translations Noun

buckle (plural buckles)

  1. (countable) A clasp used for fastening two things together, such as the ends of a belt, or for retaining the end of a strap.
  2. (Canada, heraldry) The brisure of an eighth daughter.
  3. (roofing) An upward, elongated displacement of a roof membrane frequently occurring over insulation or deck joints. A buckle may be an indication of movement with the roof assembly.
  4. A distortion, bulge, bend, or kink, as in a saw blade or a plate of sheet metal.
  5. A curl of hair, especially a kind of crisp curl formerly worn; also, the state of being curled.
    • earlocks in tight buckles on each side of a lantern face
    • lets his wig lie in buckle for a whole half year
  6. A contorted expression, as of the face.
    • 'Gainst nature armed by gravity, / His features too in buckle see.
Translations Verb

buckle (buckles, present participle buckling; past and past participle buckled)

  1. (transitive) To fasten using a buckle.
  2. (Scotland) To unite in marriage.
Translations
Buckle
Proper noun
  1. Surname for a maker or seller of buckles.



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