bust
B2Informal to neutral; the police/arrest sense is informal.
Definition
Meaning
To break or damage something; the chest of a human, especially a woman's; a sculpture of a person's head and shoulders.
To arrest someone; for a business or venture to fail; to exceed a limit; to reduce someone in rank.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Highly polysemous across verb, noun, and adjective forms. The noun 'bust' (sculpture) is formal/artistic. The verb 'bust' (break/arrest) and adjective 'busted' are informal. Can imply sudden, often destructive action.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The police/arrest sense ('get busted') is more common in AmE but understood in BrE. BrE slightly more likely to use 'burst' for balloons/tires. The sculpture sense is equally formal in both.
Connotations
In both, the 'break' sense is informal and forceful. The 'business failure' sense is journalistic/economic.
Frequency
Overall higher frequency in AmE, driven by informal/police usage. The sculpture sense is low-frequency in both.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
bust something (V + O)bust someone for something (V + O + for)bust into something (V + Prep)go bust (V + Adj)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “boom or bust”
- “bust your chops”
- “bust a gut (trying)”
- “go bust”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
'The startup went bust after two years.' Refers to bankruptcy or failure.
Academic
'A marble bust of the philosopher stood in the library.' Refers to a sculptural form.
Everyday
'I bust my phone screen when I dropped it.' Informal for breaking.
Technical
'The police conducted a major drug bust.' Law enforcement term for a raid/arrest.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The children bust the piñata open.
- He got busted for speeding.
American English
- The detectives busted the smuggling ring.
- I'm going to bust my budget this month.
adjective
British English
- The printer is completely bust.
- He's a busted flush as a politician.
American English
- That theory is bust.
- She walked in with a busted lip.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- My toy is bust. I need a new one.
- Look at the bust of the queen.
- If you're not careful, you'll bust the door.
- The economic boom was followed by a bust.
- The police busted an illegal gambling operation last night.
- The project went bust due to lack of funding.
- The journalist's investigation busted the myth wide open.
- The bronze bust was auctioned for a considerable sum.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a BUS hitting a T (T-shaped sculpture) and breaking it into a BUST.
Conceptual Metaphor
FAILURE IS BREAKING ('the company bust'); CONTAINMENT IS A LIMIT ('bust the budget'); LAW ENFORCEMENT IS A PHYSICAL STRIKE ('bust the gang').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'боюсь' (I'm afraid).
- 'Bust' (sculpture) is 'бюст', but the common 'break' verb is not 'бюст'.
- The informal 'bust' = arrest has no direct single-word equivalent; use 'арестовать' or 'задержать'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'bust' in formal writing where 'break', 'burst', or 'arrest' is better.
- Confusing 'bust' (informal verb) with 'bust' (formal noun for sculpture).
- Incorrect: 'The ballon busted.' (Better: 'The balloon burst.')
Practice
Quiz
In which sentence is 'bust' used in its formal, artistic sense?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It depends on the sense. The noun meaning a sculpture is formal. The verb meanings (to break, to arrest) are informal.
'Burst' implies pressure from inside causing a break (balloons, pipes). 'Bust' is a more general, informal term for breaking, often by external force.
Yes, informally. 'Bust' or 'busted' can mean broken (a busted phone) or bankrupt (a bust company).
It means to become bankrupt or to fail completely, usually in a business or financial context.