Definition of "buckle down" []

• To put forth the needed effort; to focus; become serious; apply oneself (e.g. to work or study). (verb)

Wiktionary.org : Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License

• "We know that global competition-not to mention any genuine commitment to the values of equal opportunity and upward mobility-requires us to revamp our educational system from top to bottom, replenish our teaching corps, buckle down on math and science instruction, and rescue inner-city kids from illiteracy."
• "You may think I make light of it - being kidnapped and pressed into sea-slavery, but if I've learned anything it's that when you have no choice, you must just buckle down to misfortune … and wait."