noun
bustle
BUH-suhl
noun
1
Busy, energetic activity and movement, especially of a crowd.
"She loved the bustle of the market on Saturday mornings."
verb
1
To move about quickly and busily, often with a sense of purpose or fuss.
"Waiters bustled between the tables, taking orders."
"The kitchen staff bustled about before the dinner rush."
How to Use Bustle
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA busy flurry of movement, or to move around quickly and purposefully.
Common pairings
hustle and bustle
bustle about
the bustle of the city
Word Forms
bustled past tense, bustles plural, Bustles plural, bustles singular
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Etymology
From Middle English bustlen, possibly linked to Old Norse búask ("to prepare oneself"), with echoes of an older word meaning "to beat or pummel."