bucket out: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1/C2 (Low-frequency informal phrasal verb)Informal, colloquial
Quick answer
What does “bucket out” mean?
To leave or depart hastily or quickly.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
To leave or depart hastily or quickly.
To exit a situation rapidly, often used informally to describe someone departing with urgency, sometimes with a slight implication of escaping or avoiding something.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
'Bucket out' is essentially absent in general American English. The concept is expressed with phrases like 'take off', 'bolt', or 'get out of Dodge'.
Connotations
In British English, it has informal, energetic, and slightly humorous connotations. In American English, the term is unknown and would likely be confusing.
Frequency
Low to moderate frequency in UK informal speech; virtually zero frequency in US English.
Grammar
How to Use “bucket out” in a Sentence
[Subject] buckets out (of [Place])Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “bucket out” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- As soon as the boss arrived, we bucketed out of the break room.
- This pub's rubbish—fancy bucketing out and finding another?
- He saw his ex and immediately bucketed out the back door.
American English
- Not applicable in standard AmE. An AmE speaker might say: 'As soon as the boss arrived, we bolted from the break room.'
adverb
British English
- Not used as an adverb.
American English
- Not used as an adverb.
adjective
British English
- Not used as an adjective.
American English
- Not used as an adjective.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Extremely rare and inappropriate; 'withdraw' or 'exit promptly' would be used.
Academic
Not used.
Everyday
Used in casual conversation among friends, e.g., 'The party was dead, so we bucketed out.'
Technical
Not used.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “bucket out”
- Using it in formal writing.
- Using it in American English contexts.
- Incorrect conjugation: 'He bucketed out' (correct), not 'He bucket outed'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is strictly informal and colloquial. Do not use it in formal writing or speech.
No, it is not part of American English vocabulary and would likely not be understood. Americans use alternatives like 'take off', 'bolt', or 'split'.
The past tense is 'bucketed out', following the regular -ed rule for verbs (e.g., 'They bucketed out before midnight').
Not necessarily negative. It simply describes a rapid departure. It can be neutral or slightly humorous, though it can imply escaping an undesirable situation.
To leave or depart hastily or quickly.
Bucket out: in British English it is pronounced /ˌbʌkɪt ˈaʊt/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈbʌkɪt ˈaʊt/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “bucket out of there like a shot”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine someone emptying a bucket in one swift motion – the contents leave rapidly. Similarly, to 'bucket out' is to leave a place with that same quick, decisive action.
Conceptual Metaphor
LEAVING IS EMPTYING A CONTAINER (The person is the contents, the location is the container).
Practice
Quiz
In which variety of English is 'bucket out' primarily used?