Buckle
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For the English historian, see Henry Thomas Buckle
A buckle is a clasp used for fastening two things together, such as the ends of a belt, or for retaining the end of a strap. Before the invention of the zipper, buckles were commonly used to fasten boots and other shoes.
A buckle can refer to a seat belt or safety belt, as in the term, "buckle up."
In Canadian heraldry, a buckle is the brisure of an eighth daughter.
As a verb, to buckle is to distort under physical compression. Buckling often leads to sudden and complete collapse of a structure. Buckling is used also metaphorically, of people who react suddenly and adversely to stress.
See also: turnbuckle.