Buckle down

Meaning

The idiom "buckle down" means to take a serious and determined approach to something, typically when facing a difficult or challenging situation. It can also mean to prepare oneself mentally or physically for a task or activity.

Usage

• After the company's profits plummeted, the CEO urged employees to buckle down and work harder.
• As the storm approached, the campers hurriedly buckled down their tents and gathered their belongings.
• When the athlete suffered an injury, the coach told him to buckle down and focus on rehabilitation.
• The student buckled down and studied for the exams, determined to get good grades.
• During the pandemic, many people had to buckle down and adjust to remote work. The usage of "buckle down" can vary depending on the context. It can be used in a positive or negative sense. In a positive sense, it means taking responsibility and working hard to achieve a goal. In a negative sense, it can mean feeling overwhelmed or struggling to cope with a difficult situation.

Roots and History

The idiom "buckle down" dates back to the late 19th century and is believed to have originated in the military. In the military, soldiers would buckle their belts tighter before engaging in battle as a sign of readiness and determination. Over time, the phrase became used more broadly to refer to taking a serious and determined approach to any challenging situation.

Synonyms in English

• Get your game face on
• Gear up for the challenge
• Pull yourself together
• Dig deep
• Steps up game

Synonyms in other languages

• 锻炼 (Japanese): This idiom means to train and improve oneself mentally or physically.
• 战斗力加强 (Chinese): This idiom means to increase one's fighting power or strength for a challenge.
• 壮大的心态 (Spanish): This idiom means to have a grand or determined spirit for facing challenges.

Similar Idioms

• burn the candle at both ends

• kill the goose that lays the golden egg

• black sheep