bustle
(redirected from bustles)Also found in: Dictionary, Thesaurus.
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hustle (one's) bustle
To increase one's pace or sense of urgency; to hurry up; to get moving quickly. We'd better hustle our bustle if we want to get to the movie theater on time!
bustle about
1. To work on a task vigorously. Because her relatives are coming to visit, Annabelle is bustling about, cleaning the whole house and setting up all the guest rooms.
2. To quickly move around some space or area while trying to complete a task. In this usage, the location is stated after "about." Because her relatives are coming to visit, Annabelle is bustling about the living room, putting all of the kids' toys away.
See also: bustle
bustle around
To move quickly while trying to complete a task. Because her relatives are coming to visit, Annabelle is bustling around, cleaning the whole house and setting up all the guest rooms.
bustle off
1. To leave a place hastily. A: "I didn't see Alice this morning. B: "Oh, she bustled off because she was running late."
2. To send someone somewhere. In this usage, a noun or pronoun can be used between "bustle" and "off." Before I left for the airport, I bustled my daughter off to school.
hustle and bustle
Busy and frenetic activity or excitement. I love living among the hustle and bustle of the city. I avoid the hustle and bustle of malls and shopping centers whenever I can.
bustle about doing something
to go about doing something busily and energetically. Greg bustled about all day, doing the chores. Lily bustled about, getting dinner ready.
See also: bustle
bustle about some place
to move about some place very busily, or as if busy. They were all bustling about the kitchen, getting the feast ready. Veronica was bustling about outside, cleaning up the yard.
bustle around
to move about very busily. The people were bustling around, trying to get things ready for the picnic. I wish you would stop bustling around.
bustle off
to leave in haste. Well, I have to bustle off or I'll miss my flight. I hate to bustle off so soon.
bustle someone off
to help someone leave; to send someone out or away. The cops bustled the crook off. They bustled off the three men who were fighting.
hustle and bustle
Fig. confusion and business. I can't stand the hustle and bustle of big cities. There is a lot of hustle and bustle in this office at the end of the fiscal year.