buck

1 of 6

noun (1)

ˈbək 

plural bucks

1

a informal

(1)

: dollar sense 3b

I only had a buck in my pocket.

Dinner cost twenty bucks.

(2)

: a sum of money especially to be gained

make a quick buck

also : money

—usually used in plural

making the big bucks

b

US slang

—used in place of "hundred" in combination with other numbers

… as much at ease going 40 in First as it is doing a buck-twenty [=120 miles an hour] down the freeway …

—Hot Rod

2

or plural buck : a male animal

especially : a male deer or antelope

3

a

: a male human being : man

b

: a dashing fellow : dandy

4

or plural buck : antelope

5

: buckskin

also : an article (such as a shoe) made of buckskin

6

[short for sawbuck sawhorse]

a

: a supporting rack or frame

b

: a short thick leather-covered block for gymnastic vaulting

buck

2 of 6

verb

bucked; bucking; bucks

intransitive verb

1

of a horse or mule : to spring into the air with the back arched

2

: to charge against something

3

a

: to move or react jerkily

b

: to refuse assent : balk

4

: to strive for advancement sometimes without regard to ethical behavior

bucking for a promotion

transitive verb

1

a

: oppose, resist

bucking the system

b

archaic : butt entry 3

2

: to throw or dislodge (a rider) by bucking

3

: to move or charge into

bucking a headwind

4

a

: to pass especially from one person to another

b

: to move or load (heavy or cumbersome objects) especially with mechanical equipment

bucker noun

buck

3 of 6

noun (2)

: an act or instance of bucking

buck

4 of 6

adverb

: stark, completely

buck naked

buck

5 of 6

noun (3)

1

: responsibility

—used especially in the phrases pass the buck and the buck stops here

2

: an object formerly used in poker to mark the next player to deal

broadly : a token used as a mark or reminder

buck

6 of 6

adjective

: of the lowest grade within a military category or rank

Because he had not yet taken the Army's basic artillery course, he had to make do with a crash course from a buck sergeant … , who tutored him aboard the troopship General Walker.

—Peter J. Boyer

see also buck private

Synonyms

Noun (1)

• beau
• Beau Brummell
• dandy
• dude
• fop
• gallant
• jay
• lounge lizard
• macaroni
• pretty boy

Verb

• hitch
• hoick
• jerk
• jolt
• twitch
• yank

Examples of buck in a Sentence

Noun (1)

a vain buck who spends an hour before the bathroom mirror every morning

found some strong young bucks to help move her furniture

dropped a buck in the collection basket

hoping to win some major bucks at the slot machines

Verb

the car bucked and stalled

bucked the trend to outdo everyone else and just wore the same clothes they had in previous years

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

On contentious problems like TikTok’s status in America, Trump has already bucked political orthodoxy, delaying a ban repeatedly to convince China to allow its sale. —J. Tedford Tyler, Time, 17 May 2025

What To Know The Old Farmer's Almanac projects hotter-than-average temperatures for most of the United States, with the Pacific Northwest, Alaska and Hawaii set to buck the trend with lower-than-average temperatures. —Jordan King, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 May 2025

Noun

And the notion of having a few bucks saved for emergencies in the short-term is common advice. —Tim Maurer, Forbes.com, 18 May 2025

The promising young bucks It’s taken a while for Amad to break into the first team, but a winning goal in December’s Manchester derby has confirmed him as a fan favourite. —Carl Anka, New York Times, 16 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, from Old English bucca stag, he-goat; akin to Old High German boc he-goat, Middle Irish bocc

Adverb

origin unknown

Noun (3)

short for earlier buckhorn knife

Adjective

probably from buck entry 1

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Verb

1750, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1b

Noun (2)

circa 1877, in the meaning defined above

Adverb

1928, in the meaning defined above

Noun (3)

1865, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Adjective

1918, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing buck

• bang for one's buck
• bang for the buck
• big buck
• buck-and-wing
• buck fever
• buck for (something)
• buck naked
• buck passer
• buck private
• buck the system
• buck up
• fast/quick buck
• make a buck
• pass the buck
• the buck stops here
• The buck stops here with me

Rhymes for buck

• chuck
• cluck
• duck
• huck
• luck
• muck
• pluck
• puck
• ruck
• schmuck
• shuck
• snuck

Kids Definition

buck

1 of 4 noun

ˈbək 

plural bucks

1

or plural buck : a male animal

especially : a male deer or antelope

2

a

: man entry 1 sense 1a

b

: dandy sense 1

3

informal

a

: dollar sense 3b

b

: a sum of money especially to be gained

make a quick buck

buck

2 of 4 verb

1

a

: to spring into the air with the back arched

a bucking horse

b

: to throw (as a rider) by bucking

2

: to move or act against the action of

bucking a storm

buck a trend

3

: to move or start jerkily

bucker noun

buck

3 of 4 noun

: an act or instance of bucking

buck

4 of 4 noun

: responsibility

pass the buck

Etymology

Noun

short for buckhorn knife, formerly used in poker to mark the next player to deal

Biographical Definition

Buck 1 of 2

biographical name (1)

ˈbək 

Linda B. 1947–     American biologist

Buck

2 of 2

biographical name (2)

Pearl 1892–1973 née Sydenstricker ˈsī-dᵊn-ˌstri-kər  American novelist