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 Buckle To, verb (familiar).—To undertake; grapple with; 'slip in'; work vigorously.

1557. Tusser, Husbandrie, ch. xcvi., st. 84, p. 187 (E.D.S.).

Then purchase some pelfe, by fiftie and three: or buckle thy selfe, a drudge for to bee.

1663. Butler, Hudibras, pt. I., ch. ii., l. 926.

And fitting it for sudden fight, Straight drew it up, t'attack the Knight, For getting up on stump and huckle, He with the foe began to buckle.

1712. Arbuthnot, Hist. of John Bull, pt. IV., ch. viii. At last Esquire South buckled to, to assist his friend Nic.

1883. James Payn, Thicket than Water, ch. xxvii. 'Of course it could never have been taken up as a serious occupation; the way you buckled to at it, as I told Mr. Payton, was something amazing.'

1889. Modern Society, 19 Oct., p. 1302. ('How the Nobility live in Germany.') Though, as a rule, courteous to ladies at dinner, when a course is served all buckle to, and conversation is at an end. Each gentleman forgets his fair neighbour, and minds only number one. Between the courses, when nothing better is on, they converse, and always everything is served à la Russe.

Bucksome, adj. (Winchester College).—Happy; in a state of 'buck-uppishness.'—See Buck-up.

Buck Up, verbal phr. (Winchester College).—To be glad; pleased. Cf., Buck down. The usual expression is 'Oh buck up,' a phrase which at Westminster School would have a very different meaning, namely, 'exert yourself.' At Uppingham to be bucked (q.v.) is to be tired.

Budge, subs. (old).—1. A pick-*pocket; a general thief.—See quots., and for synonyms, Area-sneak and Thieves.

1671. R. Head, English Rogue, pt. I., ch. v., p. 48 (1874). Budge, one that steals cloaks.

1674. R. Head, Canting Acad., 95. The Budge his employment is in the dark of the Evening, to go into any door that he seeth open, and take whatever next cometh to hand.

2. (thieves'.)—Also called sneaking budge (q.v.). In more modern times an accomplice who gains access to a building during the day for the purpose of being locked in. When night comes he is thus easily able to admit his fellow thieves. For synonyms, see Area-sneak, and Cf., Standing bridge.

1752. Fielding, Amelia, bk. I., ch. iii. 'I find you are some sneaking budge rascal' [cant term for pilfering].

3. (old.)—Drink; liquor.—See Drinks. [Thought to be a corruption of booze.] There are several derivatives—Budgy, 'drunk'; Budging-ken, 'a public house'; Cove of the budging-ken, 'a publican'; Budger, 'a drunkard'—all of which see.

1821. D. Haggart, Life, Glossary, p. 171. Budge, drink.

Verb (old slang, but now colloquial).—To move; 'to make tracks.' For modern synonyms, see Amputate, and Cf., Budge-a-beake.

Budge-a-Beake, verbal phr. (old).—To run away (presumably from justice). There seems some connection in meaning between this expression and a modern phrase—'to bilk the blues' (q.v.). [From budge (q.v.), 'to move away,' 'to decamp,' + a + beak (q.v.), a policeman.] For synonyms, see Amputate.

1610. Rowlands, Martin Mark-all, p. 37 (H. Club's Repr., 1874). Budge-a-beake, runne away.