bust chops
To nag; to berate or hound in an effort to elicit action.
The boss has been busting chops all day.
bust
/ˈbʌst/
noun 7verb 5adj 1
Collocations
5ADJ.
ample, friendly, last, owing
VERB + BUST
bike, come, don't, go, going, gone, gonna, oil
BUST + NOUN
aristotle, balls, sami, tom
PREP.
in, on, out, up
ADV.
finally
Definitions
verb
1
To break.
I busted my cooker while trying to fix it.
2
To arrest (someone or a group of people) for a crime.
Aaron got busted by the feds for leaking confidential government documents on Reddit.
3
To catch (someone) in the act of doing something wrong, socially and morally inappropriate, or illegal, especially when being done in a sneaky or secretive state.
4
To debunk, dispel (a belief).
MythBusters
5
An emphatic synonym of do or get.
He busted huge air off that jump!
noun
1
The act of arresting someone for a crime, or raiding a suspected criminal operation.
a narcotics bust
2
A police raid or takedown of a criminal enterprise.
3
A failed enterprise; a bomb.
4
A refutation of an opening, or of a previously published analysis.
5
A disappointment.
Paris was a bust. They wouldn't even let us see the Mona Lisa.
adj
1
Without any money, broke, bankrupt.
After months of financial problems, the company finally went bust.
Thesaurus
Synonyms
verb — break open or apart suddenly and forcefully
verb — ruin completely
verb — search without warning, make a sudden surprise attack on
adjective — lacking funds
- broke
- skint
- stone-broke
- stony-broke
Idioms & Phrases
bust one's chops
To exert oneself.
I've been busting my chops to get this out by end of day.
bust one's butt
To work exceptionally hard.
I've been busting my butt getting the tent fixed, while you're just sipping cocoa. Give me a hand.
bust a cap
To fire a weapon; to shoot with a gun.
bust a move
To dance.
Damn, see that guy on the dance floor? He can bust a move!
Example Bank
601
I busted my cooker while trying to fix it.
Wiktionary02
Aaron got busted by the feds for leaking confidential government documents on Reddit.
Wiktionary03
MythBusters
Wiktionary04
a narcotics bust
Wiktionary05
Paris was a bust. They wouldn't even let us see the Mona Lisa.
Wiktionary06
After months of financial problems, the company finally went bust.
WiktionaryUsage Notes
i Register
In some senses, bust is marked as slang, US, colloquial. Watch for register when choosing this word.
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