a well known utensil, made of divers sorts of metals, as gold, silver, steel, brass, &c.

The fashion or form of buckles is various; but their use, in general, is to make fast certain parts of dress, as the shoes, garters, &c.

in heraldry. The buckle was so much esteemed in former times, that few persons of repute and honour wore their girdle without it; and it may be considered, in coats of arms, as a token of the fortune, the faith, and service of the bearer.