knee-buckler
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Sense 1
Meaning · English
A curveball (or occasionally a knuckleball) that fools the hitter, causing his or her knees to buckle (i.e. bend).
Register: slang
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Sense 2
Meaning · English
Anything so stunning as to have a weakening effect on a person.
Register: slang
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “knee-buckler” mean?
A curveball (or occasionally a knuckleball) that fools the hitter, causing his or her knees to buckle (i.e. bend).
Is “knee-buckler” formal or informal?
knee-buckler is generally slang.