Emily Dickinson Lexicon

BUCK'LE, n. [Fr. boucle, a buckle, a ring, a knocker; boucler, to curl, to ring, to buckle; Ir. bucla; Arm. boucl. In Sp. bucle is hair curled. In W. baçu, baçellu, and baglu signify, to bend, hook, or grapple. Sax. bugan, to bow.]

1. An instrument made of some kind of metal, for fastening together certain parts of dress, as the straps of shoes, knee-bands, &c., or other straps and bands, as in a harness. The forms are various, but it consists of a ring or rim with a chape and tongue.
2. A curl, or a state of being curled or crisped, as hair. – Spectator.
3. In coats of arms, a token of the surety, faith, and service of the bearer. – Encyc.