buckle up

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? If you don't buckle those suitcases up securely, you'll end up at the beach without them!

2. To anchor or fasten oneself or another in place with a seatbelt, as in a vehicle. In this usage, 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! Are you buckled up? OK, let's hit the road!

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. I buckled up laughing when Jeff told that Joke at the meeting. Dad threw out his back again—that's why he's buckled up like that.

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! Sue is really competitive, so if you're on her team in gym class today, buckle up.

See also: buckle, up

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

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 up

 and belt up

to 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

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

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

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs. Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.