buckram Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a coarse cotton fabric stiffened with glue; used in bookbinding and to stiffen clothing
  2. verb stiffen with or as with buckram
    • buckram the skirt
  3. adjective satellite rigidly formal
    starchy; stiff.
    • a starchy manner
    • the letter was stiff and formal
    • his prose has a buckram quality

WordNet

Buck"ram noun
Etymology
OE. bokeram, bougeren, OF. boqueran, F. bougran, MHG. buckeram, LL. buchiranus, boquerannus, fr. MHG. boc, G. bock, goat (as being made of goat's hair), or fr. F. bouracan, by transposing the letter r. See Buck, Barracan.
Definitions
  1. A coarse cloth of linen or hemp, stiffened with size or glue, used in garments to keep them in the form intended, and for wrappers to cover merchandise. ✍ Buckram was formerly a very different material from that now known by the name. It was used for wearing apparel, etc. Beck (Draper's Dict. ).
  2. (Bot.) A plant. See Ramson. Dr. Prior.
Buck"ram adjective
Definitions
  1. Made of buckram; as, a buckram suit.
  2. Stiff; precise. "Buckram dames." Brooke.
Buck"ram transitive verb
Definitions
  1. To strengthen with buckram; to make stiff. Cowper.

Webster 1913