bust up

present singular third person busts up · participle present busting up · participle past busted up · past busted up

1. USinformaltransitiveTo physically damage or ruin; to be ruined; to go bankrupt; to end (something).

   If I was school . . . I’d capitulate tomorrow. I’d bonfire the books, drain the inkwells and bust up the blackboard — if only he would stop hating. It’s wearing me out!

   1957 November 14, Sputnik [pseudonym], “My Son Hates School”, in Daily Record, number 19,357, Glasgow: Scottish Daily Record and Sunday Mail, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 2, columns 2–3

   1 more example

   The doctor told me nothing that I didn't already know; my hand was busted up pretty good. It was too early to tell how badly it had been busted up, but I was most definitely out of the tournament.

   2005, Ken Shamrock, Beyond the Lion's Den: The Life, The Fights, The Techniques

2. USinformalintransitiveTo break up (end a relationship).

   I knew, because both Alison and Penny had taught me, that busting up with someone could be miserable, but I didn't know that getting off with someone could be miserable too.

   1995, Nick Hornby, High Fidelity, London: Victor Gollancz, →ISBN, page 19

3. slangAfrican-American VernacularTo shoot (someone).
4. slangTo express sudden and intense emotions; to burst into loud laughter.
5. AustraliaslangTo spend money wildly, especially on alcoholic drinks.