buckle

Meaning

Noun

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.
2. (broadly) 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.
3. (Canada) 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.
4. A great conflict or struggle.

Verb

1. (transitive) To fasten (something) using a buckle (noun sense 1); hence (obsolete), to fasten (something) in any way.
2. (figuratively, reflexive, transitive) To apply (oneself) to, or prepare (oneself) for, a task or work; also (obsolete), to equip (oneself) for a battle, expedition, etc.
3. (British, figuratively, transitive) To unite (people) in marriage; to marry.
4. (figuratively, intransitive) To apply oneself to or prepare for a task or work.
5. (British, figuratively, intransitive) To unite with someone in marriage; to marry.
6. (dialectal, figuratively, intransitive) To participate in some contest or labour; to join in close fight; to contend.

Verb

1. (transitive) To cause (something) to bend, or to become distorted.
2. (obsolete, transitive) To curl (hair).
3. (intransitive) Of a thing (especially a slender structure under compression): to collapse or distort under physical pressure.
4. (figuratively, intransitive) Of a person: to (suddenly) cease resisting pressure or stress; to give in or give way, to yield.

Opposite of

unbuckle

Synonyms

clasp

warp

bend

belt buckle

button

flex

fastener

belt

clamp

🗜️

clip

crumple

fasten

gird

girdle

heave

strap

yield

zipper

curl

curve

deflection

deflexion

diffraction grating

distortion

drunken

Morse

brooch

bow

🙇

fold

bending

pinch plate

go for

grapple

hasp

oblique setting

hogging

hook

🪝

incurvate

inflect

knuckle under

medal

ouch

plica

ply

pronate

raise

refraction

relent

sag

seam

Translations

Schnalle

fibbia

hebilla

boucle

➿

gesp

boucler

fivela

κουμπώνω

Spange

πόρπη

φιούμπα

στραβώνω

αγκράφα

sivella

boucle de vêtement

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈbʌkl̩/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: bokel

Inherited from Middle English: bokelen

In summary

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 sense 2 (“great conflict or struggle”) is probably derived from 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 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.