buckle

1 to fall down or in as a result of physical pressure <the flimsy bridge buckled under the weight of the caravan of trucks> Synonyms collapse, cave (in), crumple, founder, give, go, go out, implode, tumble, yieldRelated Words deflate, flatten, melt, melt down; break, break down, conk (out), crash, die, fail, give out, stall; burst, shatter, smash, splinter, split; crack, crumble, pop, snapNear Antonyms inflate, rise, swell

2 to occupy (oneself) diligently or with close attention <buckled himself down and finished the assignment in record time> Synonyms address, bend, apply, devote, giveRelated Words readdress, reapply; knuckle down, set (to), settle (down); busy, commit, concern, engage, involve; exert, exhaust, put out, spend, strain, stress, tax, trouble, wear out; carry on, pitch in, plunge (in); grind, hump, hustle, peg (away), plod, plow, plug (away), workNear Antonyms dally, dawdle, dillydally, fiddle (around), fool around, idle, mess around, monkey (around), play, potter (around), putter (around), trifle