buckle under
B2 neutral intransitive
In simple words
To give up and stop fighting because the pressure is just too much to handle.
Literal meaning: For a structure or material to bend and give way because of a weight or force pressing down on it.
Meanings
1 B2
idiomatic
neutral
To yield or submit to pressure, demands, or stress after trying to resist.
"The government finally buckled under public pressure and reversed the unpopular policy."
2 B1 neutral
For a physical structure to collapse or bend inward under a heavy load.
"The old bridge buckled under the weight of the convoy."
Usage notes
Used both literally (of physical structures collapsing under weight) and metaphorically (of people or organizations yielding under pressure). The metaphorical sense is far more common.
Commonly used with
pressure stress demands strain weight scrutiny
Forms
Base
buckle under
I/you/we/they
3rd person
buckles under
he/she/it
Past simple
buckled under
yesterday
Past participle
buckled under
have + pp
-ing form
buckling under
continuous
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Synonyms
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