buck1
n.
- the male of some animals, especially deer and antelopes.
▸S. African an antelope (of either sex).
- a vertical jump performed by a horse, with the head lowered, back arched, and back legs thrown out behind.
- archaic a fashionable and daring young man.
v.
- (of a horse) perform a buck.
- oppose or resist:
buck the trend.
-
(buck someone up or buck up)
informal make or become more cheerful.
adj.
US military slang lowest of a particular rank:
a buck private.
Phrase
- buck up one's ideas
become more serious, energetic, and hard-working.
Etymology
OE: partly from buc ‘male deer’, of Gmc origin; reinforced by bucca ‘male goat’.
buck3
n.
an object placed as a reminder in front of a poker player whose turn it is to deal.
Phrase
- the buck stops here
informal the responsibility for something cannot be passed to someone else. - pass the buck
informal shift responsibility to someone else.
Etymology
C19: of unknown origin.