bus

verb

bused also bussed; busing also bussing

intransitive verb

1

: to travel by a large motor vehicle designed to carry passengers usually along a fixed route according to a schedule : to travel by bus

2

: to work as a busboy

transitive verb

1

: to transport by bus

busing kids to school

Students were bused in for the game.

2

a

: clear sense 4d

bus dishes

b

: to remove dirty dishes from

bus tables

Did you know?

The History of Bus

In 1661, mathematician Blaise Pascal conceived the world’s first bus service, proposing that a number of coaches should “circulate along predetermined routes in Paris at regular intervals regardless of the number of people,” and pick up passengers for a small fixed fare. The word bus is short for omnibus, which means “for everyone.” Bus was first used in this sense in the 1830s, its "everyone" meaning referencing the fact that anyone could join the coach along its route, unlike with stagecoaches, which had to be pre-booked.

Examples of bus in a Sentence

He buses tables at the local diner.

Recent Examples on the Web

During his interview with Haskell, Pratt also claimed, without evidence, that nonprofit groups and nongovernmental organizations were busing unhoused people into Los Angeles. —Los Angeles Times, 4 June 2026

At 16, Joey DiBuono bused tables alongside neighborhood friends. —Eva Remijan-Toba, Chicago Tribune, 2 June 2026

Jill Biden relates the 2019 primary debate in which Harris got headlines for challenging Biden for his vote four decades earlier on using busing to desegregate schools. —Susan Page, USA Today, 30 May 2026

The trip was canceled and passengers were bused back to Alamosa. —Logan Smith, CBS News, 24 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

First Known Use

circa 1909, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Phrases Containing bus

• bus bar
• bus pass
• bus stop
• motor bus
• school bus
• throw (someone) under the bus

Rhymes for bus

• buss
• cuss
• fuss
• glace
• huss
• plus
• pus
• russ
• sus
• suss
• thus
• truss

Kids Definition

bus

1 of 2 noun

ˈbəs 

plural buses also busses

1

: a large motor vehicle for carrying passengers

2

: a conductor or group of conductors for collecting electric currents and sending them to outgoing wires

bus

2 of 2 verb

bused also bussed; busing also bussing

: to travel or transport by bus