[f. BUCKLE v.]
1. The action of fastening with a buckle; also fig.
1625. Laud, Serm. (1837), 69. A double buckling and knitting of the State together.
1808. Scott, Marm., VI. xii. At buckling of the falchion belt.
b. concr. A brace, a fastening; that which is buckled on.
1861. Smiles, Engineers, II. 449. The main chains were to be … secured by bucklings.
1875. Browning, Aristoph. Apol., 281. Thereupon lays body bare Of bucklings.
† 2. The action of closing with an enemy; engagement, onset. Obs.
1563. Foxe, A. & M., 1041/2. His valiaunt buckling with two enemies.
1604. Edmonds, Observ. Cæsar’s Comm., 98. In the buckling he might have receiued a small losse.
3. A bending, giving way; also, techn. the curving or crumpling of a plain surface under longitudinal pressure.
1651. trans. Bacon’s Life & Death, 56. For the buckling of their knees.
1850. E. Clark, Britannia & C. Bridges, I. 104. No one knew, a priori, the resistance of plates to buckling.
1877. Lumberman’s Gaz., 8 Dec., 362. The old ‘sash-saw’ was … kept strained within a frame or ‘sash’ to prevent its buckling or bending.
1882. Nature, XXVI. 599. The curvature technically called buckling.
† 4. The crisping and curling, or retaining in curl (of hair). Also attrib. Obs.
1713. Steele, Guardian, No. 38, ¶ 2. It is the last time my black coat will bear scouring, or my long wig buckling.
1740. Cheyne, Regimen, Introd. 9. The buckling upon Pipes and boiling soft broken Hair.
1846. J. Train, Buchanites, in Fairholt, s.v. Buckling, Their locks … restrained from falling … over the back and bosom by small buckling-combs.
