• BUSIER THAN A ONE-LEGGED MAN AT AN ASS-KICKING CONTEST
adj. 1987 Amer. sl. – very busy
• BUSIES
n. 1948 UK sl. – the police
• BUSILY
adv. 1. c1225 obs. – with fixed attention; carefully, heedfully; attentively, intently
adv. 2. a1393 obs. – anxiously, solicitously
• BUSINESS
n. 1. a1000 obs. – anxiety, solicitude, care; distress, uneasiness
n. 2. 1340 obs. – diligent labour, exertion, effort
n. 3. a1387 obs. – eagerness, earnestness, importunity
n. 4. a1387 obs. – trouble, difficulty
n. 5. a1398 obs. – care, attention, observance
n. 6. a1398 obs. – activity, briskness, motion
n. 7. c1405 obs. – the object of anxiety or serious effort; a serious purpose or aim
n. 8. a1450 – a group of ferrets
n. 9. a1466 obs. – mischievous or interfering activity; prying, officiousness
n. 10. 1478 – a swarm of flies
n. 11. 1514 obs. – disturbance, commotion
n. 12. 1612 obs. – an ‘affair of honour’; a duel
n. 13. a1612 euphemism – sexual intercourse, sex
n. 14. 1843 colloq. – a difficult matter
n. 15. 1983 sl. – an assignation with a prostitute
• BUSINESS ANGEL
n. 1884 – a person who supports a business financially; a person who invests private capital in a small business, usually in return for a proportion of the company equity
• BUSINESS DOCTOR
n. 1879 US rare – a man who gives advice upon the proper conduct of business
• THE BUSINESS END
n. 1878 sl. – the part of something which performs its main function
• BUSINESS GIRL
n. 1964 colloq. – a prostitute
• BUSINESS GURU
n. 1969 – a person with influential ideas or theories about business
• BUSINESSMAN
n. 1798 – a lawyer, attorney, or business agent
• BUSINESS WAGON
n. 1934 Amer. dial. – a horse-drawn vehicle used to carry people or loads
• BUSK
n. 1. a1687 Sc. rare – adornment, embellishment
n. 2. 1968 Amer. dial. – a loud or vigorous kiss
vb. 1. c1330 – to prepare, to make or get ready; to put in order; to array
vb. 2. c1330 – to set out, to go, esp. with speed; to hurry, to hasten
vb. 3. c1390 obs. – to get up, to rise
vb. 4. c1400 – to clothe, to dress, to attire a person; to adorn a thing
vb. 5. c1450 obs. – to try, to make an attempt
vb. 6. 1573 – to embellish, to adorn
vb. 7. 1635 rare – to go searching or seeking for something; to go from place to place
vb. 8. 1747 obs. rare – to cruise or sail about on the sea
vb. 9. 1825 – to perform music or some other entertainment in a public place for monetary donations
vb. 10. 1934 sl. – to improvise, esp. music; to speak or write without preparation
vb. 11. 1941 Amer. dial. – to kiss
• BUSKED
adj. c1450 rare – clothed, attired, dressed up; adorned, embellished
• BUSKER
n. 1. 1728 obs. – a keen-witted, impudent person
n. 2. 1851 – a person who performs music or some other entertainment in a public place for monetary donations; an itinerant entertainer or musician; originally slang
• BUSKET
n. 1579 obs. rare – a small bush or shrub
• BUSKINED
adj. 1. 1595 – having a tragic style or manner; dignified, elevated lofty
adj. 2. 1603 – designating tragedy or tragic drama
• BUSKLE
vb. 1. a1535 obs. – to set out, to go, esp. hastily or promptly; to take hastily to something
vb. 2. 1545 obs. – to hurry about, to make haste; to be full of agitation or commotion; to bustle
vb. 3. a1555 obs. – to prepare, to make or get ready; to equip, to attire
• BUSKLING
n. 1546 obs. – eager activity; bustling; scuffling, agitation
• BUSKRY
n. a1687 Sc. obs. rare – adornment, embellishment
• BUSKY
adj. 1. 1570 obs. – covered with bushes; full of thickets; bushy
adj. 2. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – drunk
n. 1967 Amer. dial. – the buttocks
• BUS ONE
vb. 1993 US sl. – to leave
• BUSS
n. 1. 1567 – a kiss, esp. a loud or vigorous one
n. 2. a1721 obs. – kissing
vb. 1. c1330 rare – to prepare, to make or get ready; to put in order, to array
vb. 2. a1566 – to kiss
vb. 3. 1569 – to clothe, to dress; to dress up, to adorn
• BUSSEN
adj. 1899 Amer. dial. – ruptured
• BUSSENED
adj. 1845 Amer. dial. – ruptured
• BUSSER
n. 1965 Amer. dial. – a kiss
• BUSSING
n. 1. 1583 – kissing; a kiss
n. 2. c1712 Sc. obs. rare – clothes, attire
• BUSS-WAGON
n. 1950 Amer. dial. – a car, esp. an old one
• BUSSY
n. 1895 Amer. dial. – a sweetheart
• BUST
adj. 1913 sl. – having no money
n. 1. a1250 obs. – a box, a container
n. 2. 1834 sl. – a binge, a drinking bout
n. 3. 1842 – a financial crash; a sudden failure or collapse of trade
n. 4. 1859 colloq. – a failure, a flop; a disappointing person or experience
n. 5. 1859 sl. – a burglary
n. 6. 1893 sl. – a punch, a blow
n. 7. 1932 sl. – in poker: a poor hand that fails to make a flush or a straight
n. 8. 1938 sl., orig. US – a (police) raid; a search
n. 9. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – an error; a mistake; a blunder
n. 10. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – a hasty or unceremonious departure
n. 11. c1953 sl., orig. & chiefly US – an arrest
n. 12. 20C teen & high school sl. – a good shot in basketball
vb. 1. c1225 obs. – to beat, to thrash
vb. 2. 1859 sl. – to break into and rob a place
vb. 3. 1918 sl. – to demote in the armed services
vb. 4. 1940 sl., orig. & chiefly US – to arrest
vb. 5. 1971 sl. – of the police: to search a place for drugs, stolen property, etc.
vb. 6. 20C teen & high school sl. – to be in trouble
• BUST A CAP
vb. 1872 – to fire a bullet from a gun
• BUST A GUT
vb. 1. 1912 Amer. dial. – to exert great effort; to do one’s utmost
vb. 2. 1950 Amer. dial. – to hurt oneself by laughing too hard; to laugh very hard
• BUST A HAME STRING
vb. 1. 1903 Amer. dial. – to make a sudden great effort
vb. 2. 1923 Amer. dial. – to fail in an undertaking
vb. 3. c1960 Amer. dial. – to become very angry
vb. 4. 1967 Amer. dial. – to laugh very hard
• BUSTAL
adj. 1727 obs. rare – relating to burial or to the grave; funereal
• BUST AN ARROW
vb. 1973 US sl. – in a carnival or small circus: to become lost when travelling from one town to another
• BUST AND RUN
vb. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – to depart hurriedly
• BUST A TRACE
vb. 1969 Amer. dial. – to laugh very hard
• BUST A TUG
vb. 1. 1899 Amer. dial. – to make a sudden great effort
vb. 2. 1969 Amer. dial. – to laugh very hard
• BUSTED
adj. 1. 1836 US sl. – penniless, broke
adj. 2. 1881 US colloq. – burst, broken; bankrupt or ruined
adj. 3. Bk1913-17 Amer. navy sl. – reduced in rank
adj. 4. 1925 US sl. – failed
• BUSTED FLUSH
n. 1. 1882 – a person who or a thing which has become worthless or useless, despite once having great potential
n. 2. 1882 – in poker: a worthless hand that is not quite a flush
• BUSTED ON
adj. 1929 US sl. – infatuated with
• BUSTED UP
adj. 1. c1862 US sl. – penniless, broke
adj. 2. 1892 US sl. – grief-stricken; depressed
adj. 3. a1909 US colloq. – burst, broken; bankrupt or ruined
adj. 4. 1977 US sl. – insane
• BUSTED VEIN
n. 1967 Amer. dial. – a varicose vein
• BUSTER
n. 1. 1833 – a remarkable person; something remarkable, impressive, extraordinary, excellent, or big or large of its kind
n. 2. 1835 rare – a loaf of bread
n. 3. 1843 Amer. sl. – an especially large individual
n. 4. 1843 Amer. dial. – a fellow; a dandy; also used as a term of address, esp. to a boy or young man
n. 5. 1848 US nautical sl. – a heavy gale; a powerful or heavy wind
n. 6. 1848 Amer. sl. – a drinking spree; a reckless frolic
n. 7. 1855 Amer. dial. – in crab fishing: a crab or crayfish about to break free of its shell
n. 8. 1859 Amer. criminals’ sl. – a burglar
n. 9. 1874 Aust. & NZ – a heavy fall
n. 10. 1891 US West sl. – a horse-breaker
n. 11. Bk1905 Amer. dial. – a dashing fellow
n. 12. 1930 Amer. dial. – a large or well-grown child
n. 13. 1963 US sl. – a law-enforcement officer; a police officer
n. 14. 1965 Amer. dial. – a sudden, very heavy rain
n. 15. 1966 Amer. dial. – a firecracker
n. 16. 1968 Amer. dial. – a shotgun
n. 17. 1974 Amer. sl. – a motor vehicle that gives a very bumpy ride
n. 18. 1980s sl. – a tease
vb. 1988 US military sl. – to hurry; to travel quickly
• BUSTERS
n. 1. 1961 US gambling sl. – misspotted dice
n. 2. 1973 African-American – pleasure; ‘kicks’
• BUSTER SUIT
n. 1903 US – a child’s suit or outfit that resembles the attire of the comic strip character Buster Brown; an outfit for a baby or young child, usually consisting of a top and a pair of short trousers fastened together with buttons
• BUSTHEAD
n. 1. 1857 Amer. dial. – whisky, esp. illegally made or bad whisky; moonshine
n. 2. 1939 Amer. dial. – a headache from drinking bad whisky
• BUST-HEADED
adj. 1932 Amer. dial. – ? stubborn
• BUSTICATE
vb. 1916 Amer. dial. – to break into pieces
• BUSTICATED
adj. 1916 Amer. dial. – broken, completely shattered
• BUSTIFICATION
n. 1906 Amer. dial. – an explosion; a disaster; a quarrel
• BUSTIFIED
adj. 1939 Amer. dial. – pot-bellied
• BUSTING
adj. 1847 Amer. sl. – very big; splendid
• BUST INTO A RUN
vb. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – to depart hurriedly
• BUST INTO VIEW
vb. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – to appear suddenly
• BUST IN WITH
vb. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – to intrude in a conversation
• BUSTIOUS
adj. 1854 Eng. dial. – thickset, corpulent, over-fat
• BUSTLE
int. 1597 – hurry up! stir yourself!
n. 1. 1579 obs. – a conflict, struggle, scuffle, or fray; the commotion caused by this
n. 2. 1763 sl. obs. – money of any sort or quantity
n. 3. 1928 US sl. – the rump, the buttocks
vb. 1. 1585 obs. – to struggle, to scuffle
vb. 2. 1935 US sl. – to work as a prostitute
• BUSTLED
adj. 1602 rare – harassed, disordered; stirred up, roused
• BUSTLE-HEADED
adj. 1863 Eng. dial. obs. rare – of a tree: stunted, misshapen
• BUSTLE IT OUT
vb. 1670 obs. – to fight it out
• BUSTLEPATE
n. a1652 obs. rare – a bustling person
• BUST ON
vb. 1961 – to attack verbally, to criticize or scold; in a weakened sense, to tease, to mock
• BUST ONE’S ASS
vb. 1. 1908 Amer. sl. – to exert oneself to the limit of endurance; to toil, to labour, to strive furiously
vb. 2. 1945 Amer. sl. – to be killed in an airplane crash
vb. 3. 1965 Amer. sl. – to harass; to annoy
vb. 4. 1980 Amer. sl. – to beat someone up; to thrash someone savagely
• BUST ONE’S BACK
vb. 1908 – to exert oneself; to work extremely hard
• BUST ONE’S BALLS
vb. 1. 1944 US sl. – to exert oneself to the limit of endurance; to work or try one’s hardest
vb. 2. 1952 US sl. – to punish severely; to thrash
vb. 3. 1957 US sl. – to meet with disaster
vb. 4. 1967 US sl. – to provoke anger; hence, to make oneself a pest, as by complaining or scolding; to harass, to hector, to nag
• BUST ONE’S BUTTONS
vb. 1. 1921 Amer. dial. – to strain one’s clothing by laughing too hard; to laugh very hard
vb. 2. 1950 Amer. dial. – to strain oneself physically or emotionally
vb. 3. 1966 Amer. dial. – to swell with pride
• BUST ONE’S EAR-STRING
vb. 1917 Amer. dial. – to become disillusioned and deaf to another’s speech
• BUST ONE’S HAMES
vb. 1954 Amer. dial. – to display a sudden burst of energy
• BUST ONE’S HUMP
vb. 1957 – to exert oneself; to work extremely hard
• BUST-OUT
adj. 1. 1934 US sl., esp. gambling usage – being or connected with a dishonest establishment, esp. a gambling casino or disreputable saloon, at which patrons are routinely fleeced or robbed; crooked, illegal, dishonest
adj. 2. 1961 US sl. – out-and-out, pure and simple
adj. 3. 1962 US sl. – unregulated; blatantly illegal
adj. 4. 1976 sl. – penniless, busted
n. 1. 1861 sl. – an extravagant or riotous celebration, a binge
n. 2. 1930 US sl. – a breakout; a jailbreak
n. 3. 1958 US criminals’ sl. – the high point of a confidence game, when the swindle occurs
n. 4. 1963 US sl. – a collapse or failure; hence, a smash-up; a person who is a failure
n. 5. 1967 sl. – an instance of bankruptcy which has been engineered with the intent to defraud creditors
vb. 1. 1939 US sl. – (as ‘bust out’) to expel or be expelled from school because of academic failure
vb. 2. 1962 US sl., esp. gambling usage – (as ‘bust out’) to ruin financially, to bankrupt; to go bankrupt
• BUST-OUTS
n. 1952 US sl. – fraudulent dice
• BUSTSKULL
n. 1942 Amer. dial. – whisky, esp. illegally made or bad whisky; moonshine
• BUST SOME SUDS
vb. Bk1998 sl. – to drink some beer
• BUST SUDS
vb. 1911 chiefly African-American – to wash dishes, esp. as an occupation
• BUST THE MAINLINE
vb. 1930s sl., orig. US drug culture usage – to take an intravenous injection
• BUST THE WIND
vb. c1960 Amer. dial. – to run or travel fast
• BUST THIS!
int. 20C teen & high school sl. – watch this!
• BUSTUARY
adj. 1656 obs. – belonging to the funeral pyre; funereal
n. 1607 obs. – a person or thing who sets fire to something or someone
• BUST-UP
n. 1. 1841 US sl. – an explosion; hence, a wreck, break-up; an accident or disaster; a failure
n. 2. 1842 sl. – an altercation; an argument, a row; a strong disagreement
n. 3. 1899 – excitement
vb. 1. 1866 US sl. – (as ‘bust up’) to break up
vb. 2. 1978 US sl. – (as ‘bust up’) to injure severely
• BUSTY
adj. 1936 Amer. dial. – self-assertive, loud, smart-alecky
• BUSY
adj. 1. a1000 obs. – of a warrior: keen to fight; bold; devoted to some business; active, assiduous, diligent, industrious
adj. 2. a1000 obs. – solicitous, concerned; anxious, uneasy, troubled; careful, attentive
adj. 3. 1448 obs. – of a thing: involving much work, care, or trouble; elaborate, intricate
adj. 4. 1903 – of ornamentation: full of detail
adj. 5. 1970s – interfering, nosy
n. 1904 Brit. sl. – a policeman; specifically, a CID officer, a detective
vb. a1000 obs. – to afflict, to worry, to disturb, to perplex
• BUSY AS A BASKET OF CHIPS GOING TO A BONFIRE
adj. 1946 Amer. dial. – extremely busy
• BUSY AS A BEE
adj. c1405 – very busy or industrious; fully engaged with some occupation
• BUSY AS A BIRD DOG
adj. 20C sl. orig. Aust. & US sl. – extremely busy
• BUSY AS A BIRD DOG WITH AN ITCH
adj. 20C sl. orig. Aust. & US sl. – extremely busy
• BUSY AS A BIRD DOG WITH HIVES
adj. 20C sl. orig. Aust. & US sl. – extremely busy
• BUSY AS A NAILER
adj. 1879 Ireland – extremely busy
• BUSY AS A ONE-ARMED BILL-POSTER
adj. 20C sl. orig. Aust. & US sl.- extremely busy
• BUSY AS A ONE-ARMED BILL-POSTER WITH AN ITCH
adj. 20C sl. orig. Aust. & US sl. – extremely busy
• BUSY AS A ONE-ARMED BILL-POSTER WITH HIVES
adj. 20C sl. orig. Aust. & US sl. – extremely busy
• BUSY AS A ONE-ARMED MILKER
adj. 20C sl. orig. Aust. & US sl. – extremely busy
• BUSY AS A ONE-ARMED MILKER WITH AN ITCH
adj. 20C sl. orig. Aust. & US sl. – extremely busy
• BUSY AS A ONE-ARMED MILKER WITH HIVES
adj. 20C sl. orig. Aust. & US sl. – extremely busy
• BUSY AS A ONE-ARMED PAPER-HANGER
adj. 20C sl. orig. Aust. & US sl. – extremely busy
• BUSY AS A ONE-ARMED PAPER-HANGER WITH AN ITCH
adj. 20C sl. orig. Aust. & US sl. – extremely busy
• BUSY AS A ONE-ARMED PAPER-HANGER WITH HIVES
adj. 20C sl. orig. Aust. & US sl. – extremely busy
• BUSY AS A ONE-LEGGED MAN IN AN ASS-KICKING CONTEST
adj. 20C sl. orig. Aust. & US sl. – extremely busy
• BUSY AS A ONE-LEGGED MAN IN AN ASS-KICKING CONTEST WITH AN ITCH
adj. 20C sl. orig. Aust. & US sl. – extremely busy
• BUSY AS A ONE-LEGGED MAN IN AN ASS-KICKING CONTEST WITH HIVES
adj. 20C sl. orig. Aust. & US sl. – extremely busy
• BUSY AS BEES IN A BASIN
adj. 1834 Eng. dial. – busy with trifling matters
• BUSY AS FORTY BEES IN A TAR-BUCKET
adj. Bk1914 Amer. dial. – very busy
• BUSY AS THE DEVIL IN A GALE OF WIND
adj. 1797 – doing or pretending to do a great deal and making a great fuss about it
• BUSY AS THROP’S WIFE
adj. 1868 Eng. dial. – used of a very busy person, esp. one busied over trifles
• BUSY BEE
n. 1. 1950s UK juvenile sl. – a policeman
n. 2. 1978 US drug culture sl. – PCP
• BUSYBODY
n. 1. 1892 US – a mirror or mirrors set at the side of a building and so angled as to reflect a view of the street to people inside
n. 2. 20C sl. – a policeman; specifically, a CID officer, a detective
vb. 1874 – to behave like a busybody; to interfere, to meddle, to pry
• BUSYBODYISH
adj. 1851 – prying, interfering; characteristic of a busybody
• BUSYBODYISM
n. 1828 – behaviour characteristic of a busybody; a meddling
• BUSYBODYNESS
n. 1642 rare – a being a busybody; meddlesomeness, desire to interfere
• BUSYFUL
adj. 1340 – elaborate, ornate → obs. rare
• BUSYHEAD
n. 1. 1340 – a being busy; preoccupation, concern → obs.
n. 2. 1555 – a prying, gossiping, meddlesome, or officious person → rare
• BUSY-HEADED
adj. a1555 – meddlesome, prying → obs.
• BUSY-IDLE
adj. 1611 – busily employed in trivial matters; engaged in busy idleness → rare
• BUSY-LICKUM
n. 1990s – a gossip, a tattletale → W. Indies sl.
• BUSYSHIP
n. c1225 – a busy state or quality; bustling activity → obs.
• BUSYTY
n. 1530 – the state of being busy; officiousness; fussiness → obs.
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