bucks

Bucks is a term with several related but distinct meanings in English. In wildlife contexts, a buck is a male animal, especially among mammals such as deer, antelope, goats, and rabbits. Among deer species, bucks typically grow antlers that are shed and regrown each year and are often involved in fighting during the mating season. The term is most commonly used for male white-tailed deer and mule deer in North America, but it is also applied to other species of deer and similar animals.

In currency usage, a buck is slang for a United States dollar, and by extension, money in general. The expression appears in everyday speech such as “twenty bucks” or “a few bucks.” The origin is debated, but it is commonly linked to historical trade in deerskins or to simple use of the term buck as a stand-in for money.

As a verb, buck means to resist, oppose, or throw off. Phrases like “to buck the trend” describe opposing the prevailing pattern, while “to buck a horse” refers to riding a horse that behaves aggressively or unpredictably.

Other uses include general slang, nicknames, or brand names. The plural form bucks is used for multiple male animals or multiple dollars, depending on the context. Overall, the word encompasses biological, economic, and figurative meanings that are widely understood in English-speaking regions.