English Explanatory Dictionary

buster

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. Someone who or something that bursts, breaks, or destroys a specified thing.
  2. Forming compounds denoting a team, weapon, or device specialized in the destruction of the first element.
  3. Someone who or something that 'breaks', tames, or overpowers a specified person or thing.
  4. A broncobuster.
  5. Forming compounds denoting an agent or agency tasked with reducing or eliminating the first element.
  6. Someone or something remarkable, especially for being loud, large, etc.
  7. A form of address, particularly of men: guy, dude, fella, mack, buddy, loser. (Originally as 'old buster'.)
  8. A loaf of bread.
  9. A drinking spree, a binge.
  10. A gale, a strong wind; (especially Australia) a southerly buster.
  11. A heavy fall; (also performing arts) a staged fall, a pratfall.
  12. A molting crab.
name
  1. A surname.
name
  1. A male given name.
  2. A male nickname.
  3. Synonym of guy, term of address for a man or person.

Pronunciation

EN-AU ck1 buster.ogg LL-Q1860 (eng)-Wodencafe-buster.wav /ˈbʌstɚ/ /ˈbʌstə/

Word forms

buster busters

Etymology

Originally a dialectal variant of burster; later influenced by bust + -er. The combining form of the term has appeared from the early 20th century but been especially prolific during three periods: in the 1930s, owing to the success of the radio series Gang Busters; in the 1940s, owing to its appearance as military slang; and in the 1980s, owing to the success of the movie Ghostbusters.

Synonyms

guy term of address for a man or person

Derived words

ballbuster ball-buster balloon-buster belly-buster belly buster blockbuster block-buster booze-buster brainbuster brick-buster broncobuster bronco-buster bronco buster bunker buster bust-out man chartbuster cloudbuster come a buster crime buster crime-buster crimebuster cultbuster dam-buster dambuster doorbuster drugbuster dustbuster dust buster facebuster fisherman buster fort-buster gangbuster gangbusters ghostbuster gutbuster have a buster knuckle-buster middlebuster mythbuster old buster price buster quackbuster racketbuster ratebuster rate-buster rodbuster rust-buster scud-buster ship-buster skull-buster slumpbuster sodbuster spinebuster stressbuster stubble buster swampbuster tankbuster thirst-buster trustbuster unionbuster

Translations

Catalan: rebenta- German: Brecher German: Aufbrecher German: Knacker German: Zersprenger
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