buckle
Related to buckle: American eagle, buckle up
buckle down
1. To anchor or fasten something or someone in place. In this usage, a noun or pronoun can be used between "buckle" and "down." Did you buckle the bikes down securely? Can you please buckle down the baby in her highchair?
2. To put forth maximum effort toward something, especially after not having done so. If you want to get a passing grade this semester, you'll really need to buckle down and study hard.
See also: buckle, down
buckle in
To anchor or fasten oneself or another in place with a seatbelt, as in a vehicle. A noun or pronoun can be used between "buckle" and "in." Can you buckle the baby in while I put our bags in the trunk? This car is not moving until everyone is buckled in!
See also: buckle
buckle under
1. To collapse or fall apart, as of a structure or object. In this usage, the cause of the collapse can be stated after "under." Three people sitting on the chair at the same time caused it to buckle under. That rickety old roof buckled under the weight of the snow.
2. To succumb to pressure or stress. In this usage, the cause of the collapse is usually stated after "under." Karen buckled under the stress of being student council president and resigned from her post.
See also: buckle
buckle up
1. To anchor or fasten something or someone in place. In this usage, a noun or pronoun can be used between "buckle" and "up." Are the bikes securely buckled up? Can you please buckle the baby up in her highchair?
2. To anchor or fasten oneself or another in place with a seatbelt, as in a vehicle. A noun or pronoun can be used between "buckle" and "up." Can you buckle the baby up while I put our bags in the trunk? This car is not moving until everyone is buckled up!
3. To bend at the waist. She keeps buckling up and clutching her stomach, so the pain must be pretty bad—let's take her to the doctor.
4. slang Prepare for what is about to happen, such as danger, excitement, trouble, etc. The boss is in a terrible mood today, so buckle up! Buckle up, folks. This game is going down to the wire!
See also: buckle, up
knuckle down
To begin to work on something in a determined matter. If you want to get a passing grade this semester, you'll really need to knuckle down and study hard.
See also: down, knuckle
make buckle and tongue meet
To have enough money to survive. Although the exact image referred to in this phrase is unclear, it means the same as "make ends meet." Now that I have a well-paying job, I can finally make buckle and tongue meet.
See also: and, buckle, make, meet, tongue
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
buckle down (to something)
to settle down to something; to begin to work seriously at something. If you don't buckle down to your job, you'll be fired. You had better buckle down and get busy.
See also: buckle, down
buckle someone in
to attach someone securely with a vehicle's seat belts. (This includes airplane seat belts.) Don't forget to buckle the children in. Did you buckle in the children?
See also: buckle
buckle someone or something down
to attach someone or something down with straps that buckle together. They stopped to buckle the load down again. Did you buckle down the kids?
See also: buckle, down
buckle someone or something up
to attach someone or something securely with straps that buckle together. (This emphasizes the completeness and secureness of the act.) Buckle the children up before we leave. Buckle up your shoes.
See also: buckle, up
buckle under
1. Lit. [for something] to collapse. With heavy trucks on it, the bridge buckled under. The table buckled under.
2. Fig. [for someone] to collapse or give in under the burden of heavy demands or great anxiety. With so much to worry about, she buckled under. I was afraid she would buckle under.
See also: buckle
buckle under something
to collapse under or from the weight of something. The bridge buckled under the weight of the truck and collapsed. The table finally buckled under.
See also: buckle
buckle up
and belt upto buckle one's seat belt, as in a car or plane. Please buckle up so our flight can begin. I wish you would obey the law and belt up.
See also: buckle, up
knuckle down (to something)
Fig. to get busy doing something. I want you to knuckle down to your work and stop worrying about the past. Come on. Knuckle down. Get busy.
See also: down, knuckle
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
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]
See also: buckle, down
buckle under
Give way, collapse owing to stress, as in One more heavy snowfall and the roof may buckle under, or She buckled under the strain of two jobs. [Late 1500s]
See also: buckle
buckle up
Fasten a seat belt, as in All the children must learn to buckle up as soon as they get in a car. This term came into wide use in the second half of the 1900s, when seat belts became mandatory automobile equipment. Earlier they had been used mainly in airplanes.
See also: buckle, up
knuckle down
1. Apply oneself seriously to some task or goal, as in The professor insisted that we knuckle down and get our papers in by Friday. Both this term and the rhyming synonym buckle down date from the 1860s, but the precise allusion in either is unclear.
2. See knuckle under.
See also: down, knuckle
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
buckle down
v.
1. To secure something or someone with straps that fasten together with buckles: Don't forget to buckle down the top of the suitcase before we pack it into the car. We took off our backpacks and buckled them down on the roof of the truck.
2. To apply oneself and start working seriously at something: I've wasted a lot of time, and now I have to buckle down and finish my homework.
See also: buckle, down
buckle under
v.
1. To bend, crumple or collapse under some great weight or pressure: The bridge supports were weakened by rust and buckled under the weight of the heavy truck. The metal chair I was sitting on suddenly buckled under, and I fell to the ground.
2. To succumb to or be adversely affected by some pressure: Some schools have buckled under the strain of having too many new students. I had fought very hard against their ideas but finally buckled under to them.
See also: buckle
buckle up
v.
1. To secure something or someone with straps that fasten together with buckles: Buckle up your shoes. We buckled the baby up in its car seat.
2. To fasten one's seat belt: The first thing I did when I got on the plane was to buckle up.
3. To bend or fold in half at the middle: Everyone buckled up with laughter when they heard my jokes.
See also: buckle, up
knuckle down
v.
To apply oneself earnestly to a task: We've been relaxing too long—it's time for us to knuckle down and finish this work.
See also: down, knuckle
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs.
knuckle down
verbSee knuckle down to something
See also: down, knuckle
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions
knuckle down
Apply yourself to the job at hand. The phrase comes from the game of marbles, one of the once-popular children's street games. Players shot their “shooter” marble by clenching the marble in a fist with knuckles touching the ground, then launching it with a flick of the thumb. When it was a player's turn and his attention was elsewhere, he was reminded, “Okay, knuckle down.” A similar phrase, “buckle down” most likely came from the idea of tightening your belt before performing an arduous task.
See also: down, knuckle
Endangered Phrases by Steven D. Price
- buckle down
- buckle up
- buckle in
- orient
- orient to
- orient to (something)
- spiff up
- spiffed up
- angle
- angling