I. ˈbəkrəm noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English bukeram, bokeram, from Old French boquerant, bouquerant, from Old Provençal bocaran, from Bokhara, Bukhara, city of central Asia (now in Uzbekistan, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics) whence it was imported
1. archaic : a fabric of fine linen or cotton formerly used for church vestments and wearing apparel
2.
a. : a stiff-finished heavily-sized fabric of cotton or linen used for interlinings in garments and stiffening in millinery and in bookbinding
b. : a similar fabric made by plying together with glue two or more layers of open-weave cotton cloth
3. archaic : stiffness of manner or reaction : precise formality : rigidity ; also : a precise or starchy person
4. : buckler 3
II. adjective
: suggesting buckram especially in stiffness, formality, and rigidity
in translation the flow of his prose took on a buckram quality
a buckram pretense prevented the world from piercing to his hollowness — G.D.Brown
III. transitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
1. : to strengthen with or as if with buckram
2. archaic : to make pretentious : give a false appearance of strength, worth, or beauty to