WordGarden.iobuck
C1Pronunciation
UK
- /bˈʌk/
US
- /ˈbək/
Meanings
Noun
an adult male deer or similar animal
a dollar
(informal)a young man, especially one seen as bold or energetic
More meaningsFewer meanings
an offensive term for a Black or Indigenous man
Verb
to leap or kick upward, especially to throw a rider
to resist or oppose something
Beyond the definition
"Buck" is a surprisingly versatile word! It can mean a dollar ("fifty bucks"), an adult male deer, or the act of resisting—like "bucking" against pressure. Think of a horse bucking its rider; that vivid image is where the verb sense comes from.
If someone asks for "bucks," they usually mean money. If you see a majestic animal with antlers in the forest, it might be a buck. And if your friend is "bucking the trend," they are going against what everyone else is doing. It's a word that appears in very different places!
The word "buck" has a rich set of meanings across everyday English. Most commonly in North American slang, it means a dollar: "That new phone cost me three hundred bucks," or "I only have five bucks left in my pocket."
Historically, "buck" has long meant an adult male deer. Picture a forest scene where a buck grazes or carries impressive antlers during the rut. This is a stable, older sense of the word and still widely used.
"Buck" is also a verb meaning to resist, oppose, or push back. A bucking horse leaps and twists to throw off a rider, and people can "buck the system" when they challenge established rules. You may also say someone is "bucking pressure" when they refuse to back down. In addition, "pass the buck" is a common idiom for shifting responsibility to someone else.
So whether you are speaking about cash, wildlife, or defiance, this word carries both practical and energetic meanings in modern English.
Examples
- 1
Small purchase
That old chair only cost me ten bucks.
- 2
Cash on hand
I only had a couple of bucks in my pocket.
- 3
Quick profit
He started the website just to make a quick buck.
- Phrasemake a quick buck
earn money fast, often without caring much about the work
- 4
Value for money
This laptop gives you more bang for your buck than most models at the same price.
- Phrasemore bang for your buck
more value for the money you spend
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Opposing trends
The team bucked the trend and kept ticket prices low.
- Phrasebuck the trend
go in the opposite direction from what is usual
- 6
Resisting authority
She has always bucked authority, even at school.
- Patternbuck + authority/rules
resist people or rules that control you
- 7
Avoiding blame
When the launch failed, the executives tried to pass the buck.
- Phrasepass the buck
blame someone else or make someone else deal with the problem
- 8
Male deer
A large buck appeared at the edge of the forest just before sunset.
- 9
Horse movement
The horse bucked and nearly threw the rider off.
See also
Forms and spellings
4 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- bucknounverb
Forms
- buckspluralnounverb
- bucking-ing formverbnoun
- buckedpast tenseverbnoun