buckle
v.v. to fasten something with a buckle, like your seatbelt or shoes. You also use it when something bends or breaks under pressure.
v. to fasten with a clasp or strap; to bend or collapse under stress. Transitive in the fastening sense; intransitive when describing structural failure.
Buckle your seatbelt before the car starts.
She buckled her heavy backpack and walked out the door.
The old bridge began to buckle under the weight of the heavy truck, causing traffic to halt for hours.
The verb is transitive when fastening ('buckle the belt') but intransitive when collapsing ('the floor buckled').
buckle up the seatbeltbuckle the seatbelt'Buckle' is transitive here; 'up' is redundant unless used in the phrasal verb 'buckle up' (intransitive).
- 01
buckle down
To apply oneself to study, or a task or work; to focus on or take a serious attitude towards something; to put forth the needed effort.
- 02
buckle to
Synonym of buckle down (“to apply oneself to study, or a task or work; to focus on or take a serious attitude towards something; to put forth the needed effort”).
- 03
buckle up
To fasten one's seat belt or safety belt.