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buckle up

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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

buckle up

to fasten a strap that holds you in your seat in a vehicle or aircraft Four out of five children are not correctly buckled up. The pilot asked the passengers to buckle up because we were flying through a storm system.

See also: buckle, up

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

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