bustle

¹bus·tle

verb \ˈbə-səl\

bus·tledbus·tling\ˈbəs-liŋ, ˈbə-sə-\

Definition of BUSTLE

intransitive verb

1

: to move briskly and often ostentatiously

2

: to be busily astir : teem

— bustling adjective

— bus·tling·ly \-liŋ-lē\ adverb

Examples of BUSTLE

1. She bustled around the kitchen getting ready for dinner guests.
2. <on Saturdays the city's downtown bustles with activity as a farmers' market sets up shop>

Origin of BUSTLE

probably alteration of obsolete buskle to prepare, frequentative of busk, from Old Norse būask to prepare oneself

First Known Use: 1580

Related to BUSTLE

Synonyms: brim, bristle, bulge, burst, abound, buzz, crawl, hum, overflow, pullulate, swarm, teem

Antonyms: crawl, creep, poke

Related Words: beetle, dart, flit, scamper, scud, scuffle; stampede, streak, whiz (or whizz); gallop, jog, sprint; accelerate, quicken, step out; catch up, fast-forward, outpace, outrun, outstrip, overtake; arrow, beeline

Near Antonyms: lack, need, want

see all synonyms and antonyms

[+]more[-]hide

Rhymes with BUSTLE

hustle, muscle, mussel, rustle, tussle