buckle up
A2 neutral intransitive
In simple words
To click your seatbelt on — or to get ready for something rough or exciting that is about to happen.
Literal meaning: To fasten the buckle of a seatbelt or harness.
Meanings
1 A2 neutral
To fasten your seatbelt before a journey in a car, plane, or other vehicle.
"Buckle up, everyone — we're about to take off."
2 B1
idiomatic
informal
Used figuratively to tell someone to prepare themselves for something challenging, intense, or exciting.
"Buckle up — the next few months at this company are going to be wild."
"Buckle up, buttercup."
— Popular American idiom/catchphrase, widely used in informal speech and internet culture.
Usage notes
'Buckle up for safety' is a well-known public safety slogan. The figurative use ('buckle up, it's going to be a bumpy ride') is very common in informal speech and headlines.
Commonly used with
seatbelt safety ride journey passengers kids
Forms
Base
buckle up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
buckles up
he/she/it
Past simple
buckled up
yesterday
Past participle
buckled up
have + pp
-ing form
buckling up
continuous
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Synonyms
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