💵 A dollar 🦌 A male animal ✊ To resist 🪚 A sawing stand 🐎 To jump up 🌊 To move violently 🏆 To try hard 🤸 A vaulting frame

to buck

9 6.8

To move suddenly and violently to try to throw someone off

verb
/bʌk/

: sacudirse

The wild horse started to buck violently as the rider struggled to keep his balance.
ship bucked
boat bucked
bucked wildly

And I'm like, holy crap, this dude is bucking like a Bronco.

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Examples

The smart gun was still bucking in my hands, and I forced myself to release the trigger.

Fiction book (2002)
A few seconds later, the truck's nose dipped, then bucked, and they were midair.

Fiction book (2002)
They just want to buck you off and get on with their business.

8 Seconds (1994)
The wild ponies buck and throw off their weight of men and boys.

Fiction book (1997)
The trailer suddenly bucks upward, hit from below as though by a pile driver!

Fiction book (1990)
The ship continues to tremble and buck; she's nearly thrown off.

Fiction book (1997)
I turned off the highway onto a rutted road that caused my pickup to buck and lurch.

Fiction book (1999)
With a squeal of tires, the Ferrari bucks out of the driveway and stalls again.

Fiction book (1990)
Striking a partly submerged rock, it bucks, lists hideously to her side, and stops.

Fiction book (1991)
Rules require bull and bronc riders to stay aboard until their mounts cease bucking and attempting to unseat them.

Academic text (1994)

Synonyms

to throw

vsto buck

880 7.5

To make a person fall off an animal suddenly

is a sudden violent move that aims to dislodge a rider

to jerk

vsto buck

217 2.0

To move something suddenly and sharply

is stronger and often attempts to throw someone off

to flail

vsto buck

38 5.8

To wave arms or legs wildly

is a sudden violent action aiming to remove a rider rather than flailing

to lurch

vsto buck

34 5.6

To move suddenly and unsteadily, often forward or to one side

is more violent and often tries to dislodge a rider

to thrash

vsto buck

24 5.8

Move or swing violently without control

is similar but specifically aims to throw off a rider

to jolt

vsto buck

15 3.7

To move in a sudden, rough way

is more violent and usually aims to dislodge a rider

to flail about

vsto buck

1 7.0

To move your arms and body wildly or act in a messy way without success

is a focused violent motion that often tries to dislodge a rider

to thrash about

vsto buck

1 6.1

Move the body violently when in pain or fear

is focused on forceful movement that tries to dislodge a rider

to thresh about

vsto buck

1 7.9

Make quick, wild movements because you are afraid or in pain

is more likely to be a quick violent attempt to unseat someone

Antonyms

to settle

540 2.8

To become calm and still after movement or excitement

Idioms

bang for the buck

7 4.4

A good value for the money you spend

to save a buck

Informal

2 6.4

Spend less money than usual when you buy something

to break the buck

Literature

9.8

A money market fund's share price falls below one dollar

breaking the buck

9.9

A loss for investors that happens when a money market fund's share falls below one dollar

to buck up your ideas

9.2

Try harder and make your work and attitude better

Phrasal Verbs

to buck up

Informal

14 6.3

To become or make someone more cheerful and confident

to buck for

Archaic

9 8.2

To try hard to get praise or a promotion from someone like a boss

to buck the trend

3 6.9

To do something different from what most people do

Compounds

young buck

Slang

9 7.9

A young man who is full of energy and wants to prove himself

quick buck

Informal

9 5.3

Money made quickly, often with little work or by dishonest ways

fast buck

Slang

3 7.9

Money earned quickly, often by dishonest or easy ways

buck private

Archaic

1 8.2

A soldier with the lowest rank in the US Army or Marines

buck sergeant

Archaic

1 8.2

A low-ranking soldier who leads a small group in the army or Marines

buck-and-wing

Archaic

1 9.9

A lively solo tap dance with fast, energetic footwork

buck-passing

1 7.1

Act of putting blame on others to avoid doing a job you should do

black buck

Indian

8.7

An antelope with a dark back and spiral horns that lives in India

buck fever

Jargon

9.6

A nervous feeling a beginner hunter has when they see an animal

buck-passing culture

7.9

A workplace culture where people avoid responsibility by blaming others

How Violent

to buck

9 6.8

to rear

28 4.9

to jerk

217 2.0

to lurch

34 5.6

to twitch

66 2.8

Surface Forms

buck infinitive

bucked past

bucked past participle

bucking present participle

bucks third person singular

Etymology

Buck meaning to move suddenly takes the same animal image: think of a horse or goat that jumps and throws, so when a boat or car 'bucks' it gives a quick, violent jolt.