buck
Pronunciation: (buk), [key]
— n.
- the male of the deer, antelope, rabbit, hare, sheep, or goat.
- the male of certain other animals, as the shad.
- an impetuous, dashing, or spirited man or youth.
- a male American Indian or black.
- buckskin.
- bucks, casual oxford shoes made of buckskin, often in white or a neutral color.
—adj.
- of the lowest of several ranks involving the same principal designation, hence subject to promotion within the rank: buck private; buck sergeant.
buck
Pronunciation: (buk), [key]
— v.i.
- (of a saddle or pack animal) to leap with arched back and come down with head low and forelegs stiff, in order to dislodge a rider or pack.
- to resist or oppose obstinately; object strongly: The mayor bucked at the school board's suggestion.
- (of a vehicle, motor, or the like) to operate unevenly; move by jerks and bounces.
—v.t.
- to throw or attempt to throw (a rider or pack) by bucking.
- to force a way through or proceed against (an obstacle): The plane bucked a strong headwind.
- to strike with the head; butt.
- to resist or oppose obstinately; object strongly to.
- (of a ball-carrier) to charge into (the opponent's line).
- to gamble, play, or take a risk against: He was bucking the odds when he bought that failing business.
- to press a reinforcing device against (the force of a rivet) in order to absorb vibration and increase expansion.
- to strive for a promotion or some other advantage: to buck for a raise.
- to make or become more cheerful, vigorous, etc.: She knew that with a change of scene she would soon buck up.
—n.
- an act of bucking.
buck
Pronunciation: (buk), [key]
— n.
- a sawhorse.
- a cylindrical, leather-covered block mounted in a horizontal position on a single vertical post set in a steel frame, for use chiefly in vaulting.
- any of various heavy frames, racks, or jigs used to support materials or partially assembled items during manufacture, as in airplane assembly plants.
- Also calleda doorframe of wood or metal set in a partition, esp. one of light masonry, to support door hinges, hardware, finish work, etc.
—v.t.
- to split or saw (logs, felled trees, etc.).
- Optical Tooling. to set up an instrument in line with two marks.
buck
Pronunciation: (buk), [key]
— n.
- any object in the pot that reminds the winner of some privilege or obligation when his or her turn to deal next comes.
- to shift responsibility or blame to another person: Never one to admit error, he passed the buck to his subordinates.
—v.t.
- to pass (something) along to another, esp. as a means of avoiding responsibility or blame: He bucked the letter on to the assistant vice president to answer.
buck
Pronunciation: (buk), [key]
— Brit. Dial. Brit. Dial.
—n.
- lye used for washing clothes.
- clothes washed in lye.
—v.t.
- to wash or bleach (clothes) in lye.
buck
Pronunciation: (buk), [key]
— v.i., n. Anglo-Indian.
- bukh.
buck
Pronunciation: (buk), [key]
— adv. Informal.
- completely; stark: buck naked.
buck
Pronunciation: (buk), [key]
— n. Slang.
- a dollar.
Buck
Pronunciation: (buk), [key]
- 1892–1973, U.S. novelist: Nobel prize 1938.
- a male given name.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.