Origin of buckle
1300–50; Middle English
bocle < Anglo-French
bo(u)cle, bucle < Latin
buc(c)ula cheekpiece (of a helmet), strip of wood, etc., resembling a cheekpiece, equivalent to
bucc(a) cheek +
-ula
-ule
OTHER WORDS FROM buckle
buck·le·less, adjective re·buck·le, verb, re·buck·led, re·buck·ling.Words nearby buckle
buckish,
buckjump,
buckjumper,
buckjumping,
buckland,
buckle,
buckle down,
buckle under,
buckle up,
buckler,
buckler fern
British Dictionary definitions for buckle down (1 of 2)
buckle down
verb
(intr, adverb) informal
to apply oneself with determination
to buckle down to a job
British Dictionary definitions for buckle down (2 of 2)
buckle
/ (ˈbʌkəl) /
noun
a clasp for fastening together two loose ends, esp of a belt or strap, usually consisting of a frame with an attached movable prong
an ornamental representation of a buckle, as on a shoe
a kink, bulge, or other distortion
a buckle in a railway track
verb
to fasten or be fastened with a buckle
to bend or cause to bend out of shape, esp as a result of pressure or heat
Word Origin for buckle
C14: from Old French
bocle, from Latin
buccula a little cheek, hence, cheek strap of a helmet, from
bucca cheek
Idioms and Phrases with buckle down
buckle down
Set to work, apply oneself with determination, as in All right, we'll buckle down now and study for exams. Originating about 1700 as buckle to, the expression gained currency with the football song “Buckle-Down, Winsocki” (from the Broadway musical comedy Best Foot Forward, 1941). [Mid-1800s]