BUST

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does bust mean? 

• BUST (noun)
  The noun BUST has 4 senses:

1. a complete failure

2. the chest of a woman

3. a sculpture of the head and shoulders of a person

4. an occasion for excessive eating or drinking

  Familiarity information: BUST used as a noun is uncommon.

• BUST (adjective)
  The adjective BUST has 1 sense:

1. lacking funds

  Familiarity information: BUST used as an adjective is very rare.

• BUST (verb)
  The verb BUST has 5 senses:

1. ruin completely

2. search without warning, make a sudden surprise attack on

3. separate or cause to separate abruptly

4. go to pieces

5. break open or apart suddenly and forcefully

  Familiarity information: BUST used as a verb is common.

 Dictionary entry details 

• BUST (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A complete failure

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Synonyms:

bust; fizzle; flop

Context example:

the play was a dismal flop

Hypernyms ("bust" is a kind of...):

failure (an event that does not accomplish its intended purpose)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "bust"):

bomb; dud; turkey (an event that fails badly or is totally ineffectual)

Derivation:

bust (ruin completely)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The chest of a woman

Classified under:

Nouns denoting body parts

Synonyms:

bust; female chest

Hypernyms ("bust" is a kind of...):

chest; pectus; thorax (the part of the human torso between the neck and the diaphragm or the corresponding part in other vertebrates)

Holonyms ("bust" is a part of...):

female body (the body of a female human being)

Derivation:

busty ((of a woman's body) having a large bosom and pleasing curves)

Sense 3

Meaning:

A sculpture of the head and shoulders of a person

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("bust" is a kind of...):

sculpture (a three-dimensional work of plastic art)

Sense 4

Meaning:

An occasion for excessive eating or drinking

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

binge; bout; bust; tear

Context example:

they went on a bust that lasted three days

Hypernyms ("bust" is a kind of...):

revel; revelry (unrestrained merrymaking)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "bust"):

piss-up (vulgar expression for a bout of heavy drinking)

• BUST (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Lacking funds

Synonyms:

broke; bust; skint; stone-broke; stony-broke

Context example:

'skint' is a British slang term

Similar:

poor (having little money or few possessions)

• BUST (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they bust    ... he / she / it busts   
Past simple: bust    / busted   
Past participle: bust    / busted   
-ing form: busting   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Ruin completely

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

break; bust

Context example:

He busted my radio!

Hypernyms (to "bust" is one way to...):

destroy; ruin (destroy completely; damage irreparably)

Cause:

break; bust; fall apart; wear; wear out (go to pieces)

Verb group:

break; bust; fall apart; wear; wear out (go to pieces)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "bust"):

break down (cause to fall or collapse)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Also:

bust up (smash or break forcefully)

Derivation:

bust (a complete failure)

buster (a person (or thing) that breaks up or overpowers something)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Search without warning, make a sudden surprise attack on

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

bust; raid

Context example:

The police raided the crack house

Hypernyms (to "bust" is one way to...):

assail; attack (launch an attack or assault on; begin hostilities or start warfare with)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Sense 3

Meaning:

Separate or cause to separate abruptly

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

bust; rupture; snap; tear

Context example:

tear the paper

Hypernyms (to "bust" is one way to...):

disunite; divide; part; separate (force, take, or pull apart)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "bust"):

lacerate (cut or tear irregularly)

pull; rend; rip; rive (tear or be torn violently)

rip up; shred; tear up (tear into shreds)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sense 4

Meaning:

Go to pieces

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

break; bust; fall apart; wear; wear out

Context example:

The old chair finally fell apart completely

Hypernyms (to "bust" is one way to...):

crumble; decay; dilapidate (fall into decay or ruin)

Verb group:

break; bust (ruin completely)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "bust"):

fray; frazzle (wear away by rubbing)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Sense 5

Meaning:

Break open or apart suddenly and forcefully

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

burst; bust

Context example:

The dam burst

Hypernyms (to "bust" is one way to...):

break; come apart; fall apart; separate; split up (become separated into pieces or fragments)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "bust"):

shatter (break into many pieces)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

 Context examples 

Now, Watson, let us make for Gelder & Co., of Stepney, the source and origin of the busts.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

It showed the bust and face of a very beautiful woman.

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Laurie sold his busts, made allumettes of his opera, and went back to Paris, hoping somebody would arrive before long.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

The noble bust, the sloping shoulders, the graceful neck, the dark eyes and black ringlets were all there;—but her face?

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

I remember the high, oak-panelled walls, with the heads of deer jutting out, and a single white bust, which sent my heart into my mouth, in the corner.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Professor Craig Smith, head of EOS Space Systems, the Australian company that is developing the junk-busting devices, explained how it would work.

(Australia Developing Lasers to Track, Destroy Space Junk, VOA)

Smallpox in ’Onolulu, two broken legs in Shanghai, pnuemonia in Unalaska, three busted ribs an’ my insides all twisted in ’Frisco.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

The servant led us down a matted passage and showed us at the end into a great library, all lined with bookcases and busts upon the top of them, where the squire and Dr. Livesey sat, pipe in hand, on either side of a bright fire.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

Once or twice I went out to see that all was right, and it was, and then the 'owling stopped. Just before twelve o'clock I just took a look round afore turnin' in, an', bust me, but when I kem opposite to old Bersicker's cage I see the rails broken and twisted about and the cage empty.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

“It’s the Napoleon bust business again,” said Lestrade.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)