buckle up

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buckle up (third-person singular simple present buckles up, present participle buckling up, simple past and past participle buckled up)

1. (transitive) To fasten with a buckle.
   • 1855, Charles Dickens, The Holly-Tree

     It was eight o'clock to-morrow evening when I buckled up my travelling writing-desk in its leather case, paid my Bill, and got on my warm coats and wrappers.

2. (intransitive, idiomatic) To fasten one's seat belt or safety belt.

   Buckle up every time you drive somewhere in a car, and make sure your passengers buckle up, too.

   Synonym: belt up

• buckle down