Forms: 4–5 bocle, -kle, bukyll(e, 4–6 bokel(l, 5 bocul(e, -cull(e, -kull, -kyll(e, bukkel, (bogyll), 6 bucle, 5– buckle. [a. F. boucle:—L. buccula (dim. of bucca cheek), the recorded senses of which are 1. cheek-strap of a helmet, 2. boss of a shield. The precise relation of the Fr. senses (adopted in Eng.) to those of the L. word is obscure. Sense 1 is the only one found in ME.; the remaining senses appear to have been introduced from Fr. at much later periods.]
1. A rim of metal, with a hinged tongue carrying one or more spikes, for securing a belt, strap, or ribbon, which passes through the rim and is pierced by the spike or spikes. Often with defining word prefixed, as knee-, shoe-buckle.
1340. Ayenb., 236. Þet is þe bocle of þe gerdle.
1391. Test. Ebor., I. 145. Un sayntour, le bukyll et le pendant de argent.
c. 1450. Gloss., in Wright’s Voc., 122. Ad plusculas, bogyllis.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 41. Bocle or boculle [bocul K. H., bokyll or bocle 1499], pluscula.
1483. in Arnold, Chron. (1811), 116. A purple corse … enameled in the bukkel with ij. ymagis.
1530. Palsgr., 200/1. Bocle that beareth the byt, portemors.
1606. Shaks., Tr. & Cr., III. i. 163. His stubborne Buckles … Shall more obey then to the edge of Steele.
1712. Addison, Spect., No. 317, ¶ 22. Tongue of my Shoe-Buckle broke.
1777. Sheridan, Trip Scarb., Prol. (1883), 281. The buckle then its modest limits knew.
1855. J. W. Croker, in Papers (1884), III. xxix. 329. He expected to hear next that … knee-buckles had been issued to the Highland Brigade.
b. Phrases. † To come to buckle and bare thong: to be stripped of everything. † To turn the buckle of the girdle (see quots.). To cover the buckle: to dance (a particular step).
1562. J. Heywood, Prov. & Epigr. (1867), 73. He at length came to buckle and bare thong.
1603. Breton, Post w. Packet (1637) (N.). If you be angry, turn the buckle of your girdle behind you.
1656. Cromwell, Sp., 17 Sept. If any man be angry at it,—I am plain, and shall use an homely expression: Let him turn the buckle of his girdle behind him! If this were to be done again, I would do it.
1852. Reade, Peg Woff., viii. 131. Woffington covered the buckle in gallant style; she danced, the children danced.
† c. French buckle: a ring attached to a mare, to prevent her being covered. Obs.
1691. Lond. Gaz., No. 2707/4. A Chesnut Mare … buckled up with a French Buckle.
† 2. The drop of an ear-ring. (Fr. boucle d’oreille.) Obs.
1674. Lond. Gaz., No. 878/4. Lost a pair of Diamond Buckles, set Transparent in Silver, without any Gold Earrings to them.
† 3. ‘The state of the hair crisped and curled by being kept long in the same state’ (J.) Obs.
1711. Addison, Spect., No. 129, ¶ 7. The Wearer … lets his Wig lie in Buckle for a whole half Year.
1730. Fielding, Tom Thumb, Wks. 1775, II. 107. What’s a woman when her virtue’s gone! A coat without its lace; wig out of buckle.
1732. Pope, Mor. Ess., iii. 296. That live-long wig … Eternal buckle takes in Parian stone.
1733. Cheyne, Eng. Malady, I. xi. § 2 (1734), 100. Hair, which, with great Difficulty, receives or retains a Buckle.
1763. Churchill, Ghost, III. (R.). His features too in buckle see.
1789. Burns, Laddie’s dear sel’, An’ his hair has a natural buckle an’ a.
4. In Architecture (see quot.).
1848. Rickman, Archit., xxx. A good bold corbel-table … it has been sometimes called a buckle, because some specimens resemble the tongue of a buckle.
1861. Parker, Goth. Archit., 131. The corbels have the ornament called a buckle or mask.
5. Comb., as buckle-maker, -manufacturer, -ring, -shoe, -smith, -tongue; also † buckle-chape, the back of a buckle, over which the ribbon or strap passes; buckle-covering, a certain step or movement in dancing; buckle-garter, a garter fastened by a buckle; † buckle-hammed, ? having crooked legs (see BUCKLE v. III.); † buckle-pit, a child’s game; buckle-plates: see BUCKLED 2; † buckle-ring, the frame of a buckle; buckle-wig: see BUCKLED 3.
1761. Lond. Mag., XXX. 233. Foreigners … can afford to give a much higher price for our *buckle-chapes than our buckle-makers can afford to do.
1859. Dickens, Haunted H., VIII. 48. There ensued such … *buckle-covering, and double-shuffling.
1629. Gaule, Holy Madn., 324. *Buckle-hamm’d, Stump-legg’d, Splay-footed.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 42. *Bokulle makere, pluscularius.
1722. Lond. Gaz., No. 6088/3. A Brass Buckle-maker by Trade.
1791. Chron., in Ann. Reg., 54/1. Several respectable *buckle-manufacturers from Birmingham … waited upon H.R.H. the Prince of Wales.
1532. More, Confut. Tindale, Wks. (1557), 574/2. Some suche prety playes of likelyhod as chyldren be woont to playe, as cheri-stone, mary bone, *bokle pit, spurne poynte.
1866. Law Reports, Com. Pleas, 163. The plaintiff is … the patentee of certain *buckle plates used for bridge flooring.
1761. Lond. Mag., XXX. 233. The dispute between *buckle-ring-makers and buckle-chape-makers.
1868. ‘Holme Lee,’ B. Godfrey, liv. 309. Trim *buckle-shoes.
c. 1500. Cocke Lorell’s B. (1843), 9. *Bokell smythes, horse leches, and gold beters.
1878. Fraser’s Mag., XVIII. 579. Men and women in … powder and *buckle wigs.
