bust
/bʌst/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun:
- A sculpture of a person's head, shoulders, and chest: A three-dimensional artistic representation, often made of stone, metal, or clay.
- The human chest, especially a woman's breasts: Refers to the measurement or physical form of the upper torso.
- A period of wild celebration or excessive drinking: A slang term for a spree or binge.
- A complete failure or collapse: Something that is unsuccessful or breaks down.
Verb:
- To break or smash something: To cause something to separate into pieces, often violently or suddenly.
- To raid or search a place suddenly: Often used in law enforcement contexts for a surprise inspection or arrest.
- To reduce in rank or demote: To break someone's position or status, especially in a military or organizational context.
- To become broken or inoperative: For a machine or system to stop working.
Adjective (Informal):
- Broken or not functioning: Describing something that is damaged or out of order.
- Bankrupt or out of money: Having no funds; financially ruined.
Usage Examples
Noun:
- The museum has a beautiful marble bust of Julius Caesar. (A sculpture)
- She measured her bust for the dress. (The chest/breast measurement)
- After the exam, they went on a real bust. (A spree)
- The new product launch was a total bust. (A failure)
Verb:
- He bust the door open when the key wouldn't work. (To break)
- The police will bust the illegal gambling den tonight. (To raid)
- The sergeant was busted to private for insubordination. (To demote)
- My computer busted right before I saved the document. (To break down)
Adjective:
- Don't buy that bust television. (Broken)
- I'm bust until payday. (Out of money)
Advanced Usage
"to bust a move": To start dancing or to make a decisive action.
- When the music started, he busted a move on the dance floor.
"to bust someone's chops": To criticize or nag someone.
- My boss is always busting my chops about being late.
"boom or bust": Referring to a situation of either great success or complete failure.
- The tech industry is known for its boom or bust cycles.
Variants and Related Words
- Buster (noun): A person or thing that breaks something up (e.g., ).
- Busty (adjective): Having a large bust (informal).
- Bust-up (noun): A serious quarrel or fight.
Synonyms
- Noun (sculpture): Statue, sculpture.
- Noun (failure): Flop, disaster, fiasco.
- Verb (break): Smash, shatter, fracture.
- Verb (raid): Raid, search.
- Adjective (broken): Broken, damaged, defective.
- Adjective (bankrupt): Bankrupt, broke, penniless.
Related Phrasal Verbs
Bust out: To escape from a place, or to suddenly appear or begin.
- The prisoners tried to bust out of jail.
- He busted out laughing.
Bust up: To end a relationship violently or to cause a disruption.
- The scandal busted up their partnership.
Related Idioms
Go bust: To become bankrupt.
- Several small businesses went bust during the recession.
Bust your gut/butt: To try extremely hard; to exert maximum effort.
- I busted my gut to finish the project on time.
Adjective
- lacking funds
- `skint' is a British slang term
Noun
- an occasion for excessive eating or drinking
- they went on a bust that lasted three days
- a sculpture of the head and shoulders of a person
- the chest of a woman
- a complete failure
- the play was a dismal flop
Verb
- break open or apart suddenly and forcefully
- The dam burst
- go to pieces
- The lawn mower finally broke
- The gears wore out
- The old chair finally fell apart completely
- separate or cause to separate abruptly
- The rope snapped
- tear the paper
- search without warning, make a sudden surprise attack on
- The police raided the crack house
- ruin completely
- He busted my radio!