bust up

See also: bust-up

English

Pronunciation

• Audio (US):

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Verb

bust up (third-person singular simple present busts up, present participle busting up, simple past and past participle busted up or (colloquial) bust up)

1. (US, informal, transitive) To physically damage or ruin; to be ruined; to go bankrupt; to end (something).
   • 2005, Ken Shamrock, Beyond the Lion's Den: The Life, The Fights, The Techniques:

     The doctor told me nothing that I didn't already know; my hand was busted up pretty good. It was too early to tell how badly it had been busted up, but I was most definitely out of the tournament.

2. (US, informal, intransitive) To break up (end a relationship).
   • 1995, Nick Hornby, High Fidelity, London: Victor Gollancz, →ISBN, page 19:

     I knew, because both Alison and Penny had taught me, that busting up with someone could be miserable, but I didn't know that getting off with someone could be miserable too.

3. (slang, African-American Vernacular) To shoot (someone).
4. (slang) To express sudden and intense emotions; to burst into loud laughter.
5. (slang, Australia) To spend money wildly, especially on alcoholic drinks.