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bustle
1[ buhs-uhl ]
/ ËbÊs Él /
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This shows grade level based on the word's complexity.
verb (used without object), bus·tled, bus·tling.
to move or act with a great show of energy (often followed by about): He bustled about cooking breakfast.
to abound or teem with something; display an abundance of something (often followed by with): The office bustled with people and activity.
verb (used with object), bus·tled, bus·tling.
to cause to bustle; hustle.
noun
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Origin of bustle
1First recorded in 1615â25; Middle English bustelen âto hurry aimlessly along,â perhaps akin to Old Norse busla âto splash about, bustleâ
OTHER WORDS FROM bustle
bus·tler, nounWords nearby bustle
Other definitions for bustle (2 of 2)
bustle2
[ buhs-uhl ]
/ ËbÊs Él /
noun
fullness around or below the waist of a dress, as added by a peplum, bows, ruffles, etc.
a pad, cushion, or framework formerly worn under the back of a woman's skirt to expand, support, and display the full cut and drape of a dress.
Origin of bustle
2First recorded in 1780â90; origin uncertain
OTHER WORDS FROM bustle
bustled, adjectiveDictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use bustle in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for bustle (1 of 2)
bustle1
/ (ËbÊsÉl) /
verb
(when intr , often foll by about) to hurry or cause to hurry with a great show of energy or activity
noun
energetic and noisy activity
Derived forms of bustle
bustler, nounbustling, adjectiveWord Origin for bustle
C16: probably from obsolete buskle to make energetic preparation, from dialect busk from Old Norse bƫask to prepare
British Dictionary definitions for bustle (2 of 2)
bustle2
/ (ËbÊsÉl) /
noun
a cushion or a metal or whalebone framework worn by women in the late 19th century at the back below the waist in order to expand the skirt
Word Origin for bustle
C18: of unknown origin
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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