bust Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a complete failure
    flop; fizzle.
    • the play was a dismal flop
  2. noun the chest of a woman
    female chest.
  3. noun a sculpture of the head and shoulders of a person
  4. noun an occasion for excessive eating or drinking
    tear; binge; bout.
    • they went on a bust that lasted three days
  5. verb ruin completely
    break.
    • He busted my radio!
  6. verb search without warning, make a sudden surprise attack on
    raid.
    • The police raided the crack house
  7. verb separate or cause to separate abruptly
    tear; snap; rupture.
    • The rope snapped
    • tear the paper
  8. verb go to pieces
    break; wear out; fall apart; wear.
    • The lawn mower finally broke
    • The gears wore out
    • The old chair finally fell apart completely
  9. verb break open or apart suddenly and forcefully
    burst.
    • The dam burst
  10. adjective satellite lacking funds
    skint; stone-broke; stony-broke; broke.
    • `skint' is a British slang term

WordNet

Bust noun
Etymology
F. buste, fr. It. busto; cf. LL. busta, bustula, box, of the same origin as E. box a case; cf., for the change of meaning, E. chest. See Bushel.
Definitions
  1. A piece of sculpture representing the upper part of the human figure, including the head, shoulders, and breast.
    Ambition sighed: she found it vain to trust The faithless column, and the crumbling bust. Pope.
  2. The portion of the human figure included between the head and waist, whether in statuary or in the person; the chest or thorax; the upper part of the trunk of the body.

Webster 1913