buckle
Meanings
- 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.
- An image of a clasp (etymology 1, noun sense 1) used as the brisure of an eighth daughter.
- A great conflict or struggle.
- To fasten (something) using a buckle (noun etymology 1, noun sense 1); hence (obsolete), to fasten (something) in any way.
- To apply (oneself) to, or prepare (oneself) for, a task or work; also (obsolete), to equip (oneself) for a battle, expedition, etc.
- To unite (people) in marriage; to marry.
- To apply oneself to or prepare for a task or work.
- To unite with someone in marriage; to marry.
- To participate in some contest or labour; to join in close fight; to contend.
- To cause (something) to bend, or to become distorted.
- To curl (hair).
- Of a thing (especially a slender structure under compression): to collapse or distort under physical pressure.
- Of a person: to (suddenly) cease resisting pressure or stress; to give in or give way, to yield.
- 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.
- Usually preceded by a descriptive word: a cake baked with fresh fruit (often blueberries) and a streusel topping.
- A curl of hair, especially a kind of crisp curl formerly worn; also (countable, uncountable), the state of hair being curled in this manner.
- A surname originating as an occupation for a maker or seller of buckles.
Pronunciation
Word forms
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, 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.