bust a nut

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The expression bust a nut first surfaced in the 1930s. Nuts is a slang term for “testicles” that has been around since the mid-19th century. The term bust a nut implies that something explosive is going on with one’s testicles—metaphorically, we hope.

Originally, to bust a nut meant “to ejaculate” but also”to work hard,” perhaps a variation of a similar expression bust your conk, meaning “to work hard at a task.”

Use of bust a nut to mean “ejaculate” was popular in 1970s Blaxploitation pornography, although it’s likely that the expression was in oral use amongst black Americans prior.

By 1982, the expression bust a nut had taken on the meaning of “losing one’s temper” or “flying off the handle.” The shift in meaning can be understood if you think that one is really excited, shall we say, when ejaculating, similar to how you “lose your mind” when you’re angry.

Don’t need to know how to spell to bust a nut https://t.co/8MKJZ73RFi

— Victor Rodriguez (@VictorRod285) September 13, 2018

In the 1980s, the expression bust a nut for “ejaculate” was made more popular through its frequent use in rap and hip-hop songs.

You ever catch yourself being moody and all you needed was to bust a nut? Like wow, I really came to my senses just then.

— DJR👻 (@R2DEEJ2) September 13, 2018

By the 1990s, bust a nut had taken on the meaning of being excited about something, often in an overly enthusiastic way—because, you know, ejaculation. The 1995 cult classic film Kids includes the line: “He’s pretty crazy, he’ll do whatever to bust a nut.”