bustle

¹

[buhs-uhl]

verb (used without object)

bustled, bustling 

1. to move or act with a great show of energy (often followed byabout ).

   He bustled about cooking breakfast.

2. to abound or teem with something; display an abundance of something (often followed bywith ).

   The office bustled with people and activity.

verb (used with object)

bustled, bustling 

1. to cause to bustle; hustle.

noun

1. thriving or energetic activity; stir; ferment.

   Synonyms: fuss, agitation, flurry, ado, teem, overflow, brim

bustle

²

[buhs-uhl]

noun

1. fullness around or below the waist of a dress, as added by a peplum, bows, ruffles, etc.

2. 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.

bustle

¹

/ ˈbʌsəl /

verb

1. to hurry or cause to hurry with a great show of energy or activity

noun

1. energetic and noisy activity

bustle

²

/ ˈbʌsəl /

noun

1. 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

Other Word Forms

• bustler noun
• bustled adjective
• bustling adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of bustle¹

First recorded in 1615–25; Middle English bustelen “to hurry aimlessly along,” perhaps akin to Old Norse busla “to splash about, bustle”

Origin of bustle²

First recorded in 1780–90; origin uncertain

Word History and Origins

Origin of bustle¹

C16: probably from obsolete buskle to make energetic preparation, from dialect busk from Old Norse būask to prepare

Origin of bustle²

C18: of unknown origin

Example Sentences

In Charlottenburg Palace in the west of the German capital, the market is bustling and filled with people of all ages when we visit on a Tuesday night.

Read more on BBC

Small businesses in the area — which includes the historically vibrant, bustling open-air shopping corridor Santee Alley known for bargain prices — are looking for ways to recoup some of their losses through holiday sales.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Unlike many other dwellings in the concrete jungle, this one has its own plush garden, allowing the most famous woman in China to reconnect with nature amid New York City’s hustle and bustle.

Read more on MarketWatch

The bustling population of the refugee camp that gave Jenin its reputation as the martyrs’ capital?

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Hotels were full, restaurants bustling, and fishermen could barely keep up with demand.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• commotion 
• hubbub 
• tumult