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Buckle
Definitions
- 1 A surname originating as an occupation for a maker or seller of buckles.
- 1 A metal clasp with a hinged tongue or a spike through which a belt or strap is passed and penetrated by the tongue or spike, in order to fasten the ends of the belt together or to secure the strap to something else.
"Svveet Hellen I muſt vvoe you, / To helpe vn-arme our Hector: his ſtubborne bucles / VVith this your vvhite enchaunting fingers touch; / Shall more obey then to the edge of ſteele, / Or force of Greekiſh ſinevves: […]"
- 2 A distortion; a bend, bulge, or kink. countable
"We can’t use that saw any more. It’s got a buckle in its blade."
- 3 fastener that fastens together two ends of a belt or strap; often has loose prong wordnet
- 4 A metal clasp with a hinged tongue or a spike through which a belt or strap is passed and penetrated by the tongue or spike, in order to fasten the ends of the belt together or to secure the strap to something else.; Some other form of clasp used to fasten two things together. broadly
"He must be forging the buckle-screw, sir, now. […] Carpenter, when he's through with that buckle, tell him to forge a pair of steel shoulder-blades; there's a pedlar aboard with a crushing pack."
- 5 A distortion; a bend, bulge, or kink.; An upward, elongated displacement of a roof membrane, frequently occurring over deck joints or insulation, which may indicate movement of the roof assembly. countable, uncountable
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- 6 a shape distorted by twisting or folding wordnet
- 7 A metal clasp with a hinged tongue or a spike through which a belt or strap is passed and penetrated by the tongue or spike, in order to fasten the ends of the belt together or to secure the strap to something else.; An image of a clasp (etymology 1 sense 1) used as the brisure of an eighth daughter. Canada
- 8 Usually preceded by a descriptive word: a cake baked with fresh fruit (often blueberries) and a streusel topping. Canada, US, countable
- 9 A great conflict or struggle.
- 10 A curl of hair, especially a kind of crisp curl formerly worn; also (countable, uncountable), the state of hair being curled in this manner. countable, obsolete
"The greatest beau at our next county sessions was dressed in a most monstrous flaxen periwig, that was made in king William's reign. The wearer of it goes, it seems, in his own hair when he is at home, and lets his wig lie in buckle for a whole half year, that he may put it on upon occasion to meet the judges in it."
- 1 To fasten (something) using a buckle (noun etymology 1 sense 1); hence (obsolete), to fasten (something) in any way. transitive
"Iuſt. [i.e., the Lord Chief Justice, William Gascoigne] VVel, the truth is ſir Iohn, you liue in great infamy. / Falſt[aff]. He that buckles himſelfe in my belt cannot liue in leſſe."
- 2 To cause (something) to bend, or to become distorted. transitive
"[R]eaſon doth buckle and bovve the Mind vnto the Nature of things."
- 3 bend out of shape, as under pressure or from heat wordnet
- 4 To apply (oneself) to, or prepare (oneself) for, a task or work; also (obsolete), to equip (oneself) for a battle, expedition, etc. figuratively, reflexive, transitive
"For this cauſe whẽ the faithfull find themſelues to haue ouercome Satan in one incounter by the grace of Chriſt, let them take good heede that they imagin not their battel to be at an end: but rather let them buckle themſelues to a new charge, and valiantly aduance themſelues to handſtrokes againe."
- 5 To curl (hair). obsolete, transitive
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- 6 fold or collapse wordnet
- 7 To unite (people) in marriage; to marry. British, figuratively, transitive
"[T]ake my advice, and marry in the firſt place vvhere vve can find a curate; or make uſe of our friend the licentiate, vvho vvill buckle you handſomely."
- 8 Of a thing (especially a slender structure under compression): to collapse or distort under physical pressure. intransitive
"And as the vvretch vvhoſe feuer-vveakned ioynts, / Like ſtrengthleſſe hinges buckle vnder life, / […] euen ſo my limbes, / VVeakened vvith griefe, being novv enragde vvith griefe, / Are thrice themſelues: […]"
- 9 fasten with a buckle or buckles wordnet
- 10 To apply oneself to or prepare for a task or work. figuratively, intransitive
"Sir John diſdainfully looking at him, ſaluted him vvith theſe VVords, Farevvel Sir Knave, (for it is to be noted that it is common vvith him to term many honeſt Men ſo). My Brother anſvvered, Sir, You are no leſs. VVhereat one of Sir John’s Men buckled to fight vvith him. But Sir John ſtayed his Man."
- 11 Of a person: to (suddenly) cease resisting pressure or stress; to give in or give way, to yield. figuratively, intransitive
"It is amazing that he has never buckled after so many years of doing such urgent work."
- 12 To unite with someone in marriage; to marry. British, figuratively, intransitive
"Yet thou, they ſay, for Marriage do'ſt provide: / Is this an Age to Buckle vvith a Bride?"
- 13 To participate in some contest or labour; to join in close fight; to contend. dialectal, figuratively, intransitive
"So they buckled together, and the Heithen were diſcomfited, and fled ouer the playne felde: but the hynmoſt of them were ſlayne."
Etymology
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 sense 2 (“great conflict or struggle”) is probably derived from verb etymology 1 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 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.
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 sense 2 (“great conflict or struggle”) is probably derived from verb etymology 1 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 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.
Origin uncertain. Probably from Middle English bokelen (“to arch the body”), from Middle French boucler (“to bulge”, literally “to take the shape of a shield boss”), from the same ultimate origin as Etymology 1 above. In some senses, possibly from buck (“to bend, yield, buckle”) + -le (frequentative suffix).
Origin uncertain. Probably from Middle English bokelen (“to arch the body”), from Middle French boucler (“to bulge”, literally “to take the shape of a shield boss”), from the same ultimate origin as Etymology 1 above. In some senses, possibly from buck (“to bend, yield, buckle”) + -le (frequentative suffix).
See also for "buckle"
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