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[ Origin ]

The origin of the phrase comes from 19th century Great Britain, derived from those bucks or dandies who were regarded as the acme of snappy dressing in the Regency period. (In its turn, that word came from buck in the sense of the animal, and had a slightly older meaning still that suggested male gaiety or spirit, with unsubtle suggestions of rutting deer.)

In its dandified sense buck up first meant to dress smartly, for a man to get out of those comfortable old clothes and into something drop-dead gorgeous. Since to do so was often a fillip to the spirit, the phrase shifted sometime around the 1880s to its modern meaning.

[ Examples ]

• After losing the first place position to Martha, everyone heard Mary's mother tell her to buck up.
• People should learn to buck up after encountering any major issues as this is the only way they can succeed.
• Matthew was told to buck up and resit the exams next year.

[ Study more ]

• buck - the male of some horned animals, a vertical jump performed by a horse, (informal)make more cheerful