bust
bust — noun
1. the front part of a woman's body where the breasts are, or the distance around h
the front part of a woman's body where the breasts are, or the distance around her body at that level, used especially when buying clothes.
The tailor measured Sophia's bust before cutting the silk dress.
measure + bust collocation
Lina has a 36-inch bust, so she usually orders a medium top.
[number]-inch bust pattern
The vintage gown was too tight across the bust for Mei to zip up.
Most jackets in this shop are made for a smaller bust.
Aunt Rosa pinned the blouse near the bust to make it fit better.
文法句型
a [number]-inch bust
用法筆記
Used mainly in fashion, tailoring, and clothing-size contexts. Compare with sense noun/2 (sculpture) — same spelling, completely different meaning.
常見錯誤
2. a statue showing only a person's head, neck, and the top of the chest — for exam
a statue showing only a person's head, neck, and the top of the chest — for example, a marble bust of a Roman emperor displayed in a museum.
A marble bust of Beethoven sat on the piano in the music room.
bust of [famous person] collocation
The museum bought a bronze bust of the queen for two million pounds.
Marcus carved a small clay bust of his grandfather from memory.
Dust had gathered on the bust standing beside the library window.
Roman emperors often had busts placed in every public square.
- full-length statue
shows the entire body
文法句型
a bust of [person]
用法筆記
Often paired with the material (marble, bronze, plaster, clay) and the named subject. Distinguish from a full statue, which shows the whole body.
常見錯誤
3. a sudden visit by the police to catch criminals or seize illegal goods, often dr
a sudden visit by the police to catch criminals or seize illegal goods, often drugs — for example, when officers storm a flat at dawn and arrest the people inside.
The drug bust at the warehouse led to thirty arrests overnight.
drug bust collocation
Detective Wu has run more than fifty busts in the south district.
Reporters arrived just after the bust to film the seized cash.
The bust uncovered weapons hidden behind a false wall in the basement.
A small bust at the nightclub turned into a major investigation.
文法句型
a drug bust
a bust on/at [place]
用法筆記
Informal; common in news headlines and crime reporting. Almost always preceded by an adjective naming the target (drug, gun, gambling, fraud).
常見錯誤
4. something that fails badly and disappoints everyone involved, especially a proje
something that fails badly and disappoints everyone involved, especially a project, party, or trip that did not work out as hoped.
The Lins' beach holiday was a complete bust because it rained for six days.
be a (complete) bust pattern
The new dating app turned out to be a total bust for Marcus.
Sales were so low that the spring launch was a bust.
Lina's birthday party was a bust — only three guests showed up.
The fishing trip was a bust because the lake had frozen overnight.
文法句型
be a (total/complete) bust
用法筆記
Almost always with the verb 'be' and an adjective like 'total', 'complete', or 'real'. Subject is an event, plan, product, or trip — not a person.
常見錯誤
bust — verb
1. to damage or split something by pushing, hitting, or pulling it with force, so t
to damage or split something by pushing, hitting, or pulling it with force, so that it stops working or comes apart.
Marcus busted the lock on the shed with a heavy hammer.
bust + physical object
Be careful — Lina just busted the screen of her new phone.
The firefighters busted the door open to reach the trapped child.
Sara fell off her bike and busted her front tooth on the pavement.
Don't let the kids bust the swing by jumping on it together.
文法句型
bust + object
bust + open/up
用法筆記
Informal alternative to 'break'. Past tense is usually 'busted' in American English; 'bust' as past form is dialectal. Often paired with particles like 'open' or 'up'.
常見錯誤
2. if police bust someone, they catch and arrest that person, especially for drugs;
if police bust someone, they catch and arrest that person, especially for drugs; if they bust a place, they enter it suddenly to find evidence and seize the people inside.
Officer Tanaka busted three teenagers for selling cannabis behind the school.
bust + person + for + offence
Federal agents busted a gambling den hidden above a noodle shop.
bust + place
Carlos was busted at the airport with two kilos of cocaine in his suitcase.
The drug squad busted the warehouse just before sunrise on Friday.
Lina was scared of getting busted for drinking under age.
- release
to let someone go free
文法句型
bust + person
bust + place
be busted for + offence
用法筆記
Subject must be police, agents, or another law-enforcement body. Frequently passive: 'get/be busted for + offence'. Compare noun/3, the noun form of the same event.
常見錯誤
3. to punish a soldier or police officer by moving them down to a junior rank or a
to punish a soldier or police officer by moving them down to a junior rank or a smaller role, often after a serious mistake.
The colonel busted Sergeant Lopez to private after the missing-rifle incident.
bust + person + to + lower rank
Captain Reyes was busted down to lieutenant for insulting a senior officer.
passive + 'down to' particle
If you fall asleep on watch one more time, the major will bust you.
Two corporals were busted last month for taking bribes from suppliers.
The chief threatened to bust any officer caught lying in the report.
- promote
to move someone up to a higher rank
文法句型
bust + somebody + to + lower rank
用法筆記
Used mostly in American military and police settings. The new rank often follows with 'to' or 'down to'. Distinguish from verb/2 — that one means to arrest a civilian, this one means to punish a junior by lowering their rank.
常見錯誤
4. to strike someone with your fist, often on the face or jaw, as a quick and force
to strike someone with your fist, often on the face or jaw, as a quick and forceful punch.
Marcus busted the burglar on the jaw and ran for the phone.
bust + person + on + body part
Carlos almost busted his cousin in the nose during the argument.
The boxer busted his rival with a clean right hook in round three.
If you say that again, I'll bust you in the mouth.
Lina's brother got busted in the eye during the bar fight.
文法句型
bust + somebody + on/in + body part
用法筆記
Slangy and aggressive; common in fight scenes, sports talk, and informal threats. Often followed by 'on' or 'in' plus a body part (jaw, nose, mouth, lip).
常見錯誤
bust — adjective
1. having no more money to pay debts, so that a business has to shut down or a pers
having no more money to pay debts, so that a business has to shut down or a person can no longer afford anything.
The small bakery on Pine Street went bust after only one year.
go bust pattern (idiomatic)
Three airlines have gone bust since fuel prices rose last winter.
By the end of the holiday, Marcus was completely bust and had to call his dad.
The factory owners worried that one more bad season would leave them bust.
Lina's startup nearly went bust before a new investor stepped in.
文法句型
go bust
be bust
用法筆記
Predicative only — used after verbs like 'go', 'be', 'leave somebody'. You cannot say 'a bust company'; say 'a company that has gone bust' instead.
常見錯誤
2. of a machine, gadget, or part of the body: damaged so that it no longer works or
of a machine, gadget, or part of the body: damaged so that it no longer works or functions normally.
The kettle is bust again — I'll boil water in a saucepan.
be bust = broken (predicative)
Sara's laptop screen has been bust since the train ride.
Marcus thinks his ankle is bust after the football match.
Don't sit on that chair — one of the legs is bust.
The coffee machine in the staffroom has been bust for a week.
- broken
neutral; works in any register and position
- out of order
for public machines and equipment
文法句型
be bust
用法筆記
Predicative only and very informal. In American English, 'busted' is more common in this meaning. Distinguish from adj/1 — this sense is about objects or body parts not working, not about money.