buckling: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Neutral to formal for the physical sense; informal for figurative senses like 'buckling under pressure'.
Quick answer
What does “buckling” mean?
1. To bend, warp, or collapse suddenly under pressure or heat.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
1. To bend, warp, or collapse suddenly under pressure or heat. 2. To fasten or secure with a buckle.
1. To give in, yield, or surrender (e.g., buckling under pressure). 2. A method of cooking, especially fish (a herring that has been split, salted, and smoked). 3. To apply oneself vigorously (e.g., buckle down to work).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The noun 'buckling' (smoked herring) is very rare in US English and almost exclusively a UK regional (especially Scottish) culinary term. The verb forms are used similarly.
Connotations
In both varieties, 'buckling' often carries a negative connotation of failure or collapse when used figuratively.
Frequency
The verb is of medium frequency in both. The noun (fish) is low frequency and geographically marked in the UK.
Grammar
How to Use “buckling” in a Sentence
[subject] buckles[subject] buckles under [pressure/strain][subject] buckles [object] (secures)[subject] is buckling down to [task]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “buckling” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The old railway track is buckling in the extreme heat.
- He finally buckled down and revised for his exams.
American English
- The support beams buckled during the earthquake.
- She told the kids to buckle up for safety.
adverb
British English
- (Not standard)
American English
- (Not standard)
adjective
British English
- (Rare as adjective) The buckling beam was marked for replacement.
American English
- (Rare as adjective) Engineers inspected the buckling structure.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
'The company's finances are buckling under the debt.'
Academic
'The structural engineer calculated the load at which the beam would experience buckling.'
Everyday
'My knees were buckling with exhaustion after the long hike.'
Technical
'Euler's critical load formula predicts the buckling strength of a slender column.'
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “buckling”
- Using 'buckling' to mean just 'bending slowly' (it implies a sudden or structural failure).
- Confusing 'buckle down' (start working hard) with 'buckle under' (give in).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Mostly yes, as it implies failure, collapse, or yielding. However, 'buckle down' is positive, meaning to apply oneself seriously.
'Bend' suggests a more gradual, controlled, or elastic deformation. 'Buckle' implies a sudden, often catastrophic, structural failure or loss of stability under pressure.
Yes, but it's specialist. In engineering, it's the name for the failure phenomenon. In UK regional cooking, it's a type of smoked herring.
It's a phrasal verb meaning to fasten your seatbelt. It's used literally ('Buckle up before we drive') and informally as an imperative meaning 'get ready for something intense' ('Buckle up, this is going to be a rough meeting').
1. To bend, warp, or collapse suddenly under pressure or heat.
Buckling is usually neutral to formal for the physical sense; informal for figurative senses like 'buckling under pressure'. in register.
Buckling: in British English it is pronounced /ˈbʌk.lɪŋ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈbʌk.lɪŋ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “buckle down”
- “buckle up”
- “buckle under”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a knight's KNEE BUCKLES (bends) under the weight of his armor, causing him to BUCKLE (fasten) his belt tighter to hold himself up.
Conceptual Metaphor
PRESSURE IS A PHYSICAL FORCE CAUSING DEFORMATION (e.g., buckling under pressure).
Practice
Quiz
In an engineering context, what does 'buckling' most specifically refer to?