bust

I

[[t]bʌst[/t]]

n.

1) fia a representation of the upper part of the human figure, esp. the head and shoulders

2) the chest or breast, esp. a woman's bosom

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Etymology: 1685–95; < F buste < It busto II

bust

[[t]bʌst[/t]] v. i. inf

1) inf to burst

2) to break or separate; split (usu. fol. by up)

3) to go bankrupt

4) to collapse from the strain of making a supreme effort

5) inf Informal.

a) to burst

b) to bankrupt; ruin financially

6) to demote, esp. in military rank

7) to tame; break:

to bust a bronco[/ex]

8) cvb sts Slang.

a) to place under arrest

b) to subject to a police raid

9) inf Informal.

a) to hit

b) to break:

I fell and busted my arm[/ex]

10) to damage or destroy (usu. fol. by up)

11) a failure

12) inf Informal. a hit; sock; punch

13) a sudden economic decline; depression

14) sts Slang.

a) an arrest

b) a police raid

15) inf Informal. a drinking spree; binge

16) inf Informal. bankrupt; broke

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Etymology: 1755–65; var. of burst, by loss of r before s, as in ass II, bass II, passel, etc. usage: Historically bust is derived from a dialect pronunciation of burst and is related to it much as cuss is related to curse. As both noun and verb bust has a wide range of meanings. A few, as “a decline in economic conditions, depression,” are standard.