Buckler \Buc"kler\, n. [OE. bocler, OF. bocler, F. bouclier, a
shield with a boss, from OF. bocle, boucle, boss. See
Buckle, n.]
1. A kind of shield, of various shapes and sizes, worn on one
of the arms (usually the left) for protecting the front of
the body.
Note: In the sword and buckler play of the Middle Ages in
England, the buckler was a small shield, used, not to
cover the body, but to stop or parry blows.
2. (Zo["o]l.)
(a) One of the large, bony, external plates found on many
ganoid fishes.
(b) The anterior segment of the shell of trilobites.
3. (Naut.) A block of wood or plate of iron made to fit a
hawse hole, or the circular opening in a half-port, to
prevent water from entering when the vessel pitches.
Blind buckler (Naut.), a solid buckler.
Buckler mustard (Bot.), a genus of plants (Biscutella)
with small bright yellow flowers. The seed vessel on
bursting resembles two bucklers or shields.
Buckler thorn, a plant with seed vessels shaped like a
buckler. See Christ's thorn.
Riding buckler (Naut.), a buckler with a hole for the
passage of a cable.
Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
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