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Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

bus en · NOUN · etymology 1

Pronunciation

  • /bʌs/
  • (US) audio
  • (UK) audio
  • bŭs
  • /bʊz/ Birmingham, Black Country
  • /bʌs/ (Scotland)
  • /bʊs/ (Ireland, Northern-England)
  • /bɐs/ (Australia, Mid-Atlantic, New-Zealand, Philippines)
  • /bɔs/ Northern Cities Vowel Shift, Ireland

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₃ep-der. Proto-Italic *opnis Latin omnis Latin omnibuslbor. French omnibusbor. English omnibusclip. English bus Clipping of omnibus. Superseded earlier 'bus, where the apostrophe indicated a clipping. The shift in spelling likely reflects the fact that modern speakers no longer perceive this term as a clipping. The electrical sense is derived from figurative application of the automotive sense.

Meanings

  1. A motor vehicle for transporting large numbers of people along roads.
    • I'm on the bus.
    • I can't read on the bus because I get sick.
  2. (Canada, US) A motor vehicle for transporting large numbers of people along roads. ▸ A coach, a bus used for long travels.
  3. (UK, dated) Any motorized vehicle, such as a motorbike or car.
    • “Excuse me,” said the stranger, who turned out to be a youth in motorcycling kit, “but could you give me a hand with my bus?” 1927, Dorothy Sayers, Unnatural Death:
    • It had to be something with only two cylinders, if the whole ignition was to be put out of action with one needle: that is, a Morgan, a Belsize-Bradshaw, or a motorbike. He probably avoided the bike on the grounds of exposure to weather, and chose the Morgan as the next most handy and numerous two-cylinder ’bus. 1932, Dorothy Sayers, Have His Carcase:
  4. An electrical conductor or interface serving as a common connection for two or more circuits or components.
  5. Part of a MIRV missile, having on-board motors used to deliver the warhead to a target.
  6. (qualifier:medical industry, slang) An ambulance.
  7. (slang) An aeroplane.
  8. A network topology with each computer connected to a single cable.

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
'bus alternative, archaic lexicographic
buses Number=Plur lexicographic
busses Number=Plur lexicographic

Deriveds

bus stop chicane · boo-boo bus · bus shelter · peripheral bus · tour bus · bus fare · like the back end of a bus · system bus · electric bus · busmate · face like the back end of a bus · bus-keeper · bus trap · bendy bus · the wheels came off the bus · drive the porcelain bus · buslike · busload · Airbus · school bus · bus plunge · where does this bus go · national school bus chrome · frontside bus · stage bus · baht bus · porcelain bus · control bus · trolleybus · busjacking · multibus · bus station · articulated bus · and then everyone on the bus clapped · helibus · busbar · school bus yellow · corporation bus · party bus · bus pass · bus mastering · bus war · address bus · horse bus · citybus · e-bus · bussy · front-side bus · cheese bus · busman · metrobus · double-decker bus · pedibus · park the bus · bus replacement service · bustitution · data bus · throw under a bus · bustaurant · bus route · bookbus · railbus · battle bus · busable · put on a bus · battlebus · bus bridge · satellite bus · sleeper bus · bus test · playbus · straddling bus · London bus · the wheels fell off the bus · commuter bus · walking school bus · ride the short bus · throw under the bus · spacecraft bus · bus boy · city bus · bus-stop flight · catch the bus · bangbus · bus stand · rubberneck bus · public utility bus · minibus · bus bar · enterprise service bus · bus factor · bus driver · on the other bus · telebus · bus rapid transit · bus stop · trolley bus · chicken bus · bus-holder · bussick · waterbus · kneeling bus · water bus · walking bus · bus ministry · bustitute · busway · bus captain · busgirl · busless · bus topology · bus buddy · bus lane · Boris bus · bus mile · bus conductor · how do I get to the bus station · busful · shuttle bus · transit bus · airbus · struggle bus · open-top bus · miss the bus · gyrobus · park the beef bus in tuna town · bus girl · banana bus · bus line · owl bus · taxibus · bus bulb · splitter bus · bus conductress · bus duct · microbus · superbus

Descendants

bws · ബസ് · buss · बस · 버스 · bus · بس · பஸ் · bas · Bus · بس · འབའ་སེ · bus · बसयान · བས · bási · バス · bas · ဘတ်စ်ကား · บัส · بَاص · 巴士 · baas

Synonyms

omnibus · electrical bus · digit trunk · loser cruiser · motorcoach · loser cruiser · omnibus · autobus · Shillibeer · coach · busbar · motorbus · motorbus · coach · autobus · Shillibeer · motorcoach

Translations (302)

da bus (vehicle) · nv diné bee naagéhé (vehicle) · sv buss (electrical conductor) · km ឡានឈ្នួល (vehicle) · sq autobus (vehicle) · th บัส (vehicle) · id bis (vehicle) · mr बस (vehicle) · be шы́на (electrical conductor) · or ବସ୍ (vehicle) · lv autobuss (vehicle) · fa-ira گُذَرْگاه (electrical conductor) · mrj автобус (vehicle) · vi ô tô buýt (vehicle) · nb buss (vehicle) · sl avtobus (vehicle) · bo སྤྱི་སྤྱོད་རླངས་འཁོར (vehicle) · ia omnibus (vehicle) · cmn 總線 /总线 (electrical conductor) · nb buss (electrical conductor) · da bus (electrical conductor) · es bañadera (vehicle) · kbd автобус (vehicle) · sw basi (vehicle) · pt machimbombo (vehicle) · tum basi (vehicle) · ha bas (vehicle) · ja 乗合自動車 (vehicle) · si බස් (vehicle) · nl stadsbus (vehicle) · krl avtobussa (vehicle) · sv buss (vehicle) · th รถเมล์ (vehicle) · csb aùtobùs (vehicle) · mww npav (vehicle) · el λεωφορείο (vehicle) · is rúta (vehicle) · nan-hbl 巴士 (vehicle) · mdf автобус (vehicle) · sh magistrála (electrical conductor) · tr otobüs (vehicle) · khb ᦟᦷᧆᦃᦶᧅᧈ (vehicle) · th รถบัส (vehicle) · luo bas (vehicle) · ko 버스 (vehicle) · sw basi (electrical conductor) · pa ਲਾਰੀ (vehicle) · es rufa (vehicle) · luy ebasi (vehicle) · os автобус (vehicle) · ba автобус (vehicle) · es guagua (vehicle) · be аўто́бус (vehicle) · es cazadora (vehicle) · km ឡានក្រុង (vehicle) · ps سروېس (vehicle) · es ómnibus (vehicle) · io omnibuso (vehicle) · hy դող (electrical conductor) · az avtobus (vehicle) · dtp baas (vehicle) · sh autóbus (vehicle) · ko 뻐스 (vehicle) · mt karozza tal-linja (vehicle) · prs سَرْویس (vehicle) · wuu 公交車 /公交车 (vehicle) · pt ônibus (vehicle) · lo ລົດເມ (vehicle) · ast autobús (vehicle) · eo buso (vehicle) · pl autobus (vehicle) · bo འབའ་སེ (vehicle) · ja バス (electrical conductor) · sa लोकयानम् (vehicle) · ro autobuz (vehicle) · ab автобус (vehicle) · sah автобус (vehicle) · de Bus (vehicle) · fo bussur (vehicle) · es colectivo (vehicle) · arz اوتوبيس (vehicle) · ur بَس (electrical conductor) · it pullman (vehicle) · ta பஸ் (vehicle) · tg автобус (vehicle) · pl autokar (vehicle) · yi אויטאָבוס (vehicle) · es chiva (vehicle) · kmr bas (vehicle) · pt barramento (electrical conductor) · cmn 公汽 (vehicle) · ny bási class 9/6 (vehicle) · tl bus (vehicle) · ga bus (vehicle) · hy ավտոբուս (vehicle) · bg автобу́с (vehicle) · el δίαυλος (electrical conductor) · sh магистра́ла (electrical conductor) · myv бус (vehicle) · br karr-boutin (vehicle) · kl bussi (vehicle) · mhn coriera (vehicle) · wo trakokin (vehicle) · cmn 匯流排 /汇流排 (electrical conductor) · tk awtobus (vehicle) · sk autobus (vehicle) · fi dösä (vehicle) · is strætisvagn (vehicle) · ko 버스 (electrical conductor) · mk автобу́с (vehicle) · hrx Buss (vehicle) · om motobisii (vehicle) · khb ᦟᦷᧆᦣᧇᦃᦶᧅᧈ (vehicle) · tyv автобус (vehicle) · wuu 公共汽車 /公共汽车 (vehicle) · ca autobús (vehicle) · ta பேருந்து (vehicle) · zu ibhasi (vehicle) · koi автобус (vehicle) · oj gichi-odaabaanag (vehicle) · it autobus (vehicle) · gu બસ (vehicle) · nan-hbl 公車 /公车 (vehicle) · bo སྤྱི་སྤྱོད་རླང་འཁོར (vehicle) · km អូតូប៊ុស (vehicle) · af bus (vehicle) · fr autobus (vehicle) · cdo 公交車 /公交车 (vehicle) · sk zbernica (electrical conductor) · it corriera (vehicle) · smj bussa (vehicle) · khb ᦟᦷᧆᦂᦳᧂᦂᦳᧂᧈᦌᦵᦲᧈ (vehicle) · yi בוס (vehicle) · mn ᠨᠡᠢᠢᠲᠡ ᠶᠢᠨ ᠮᠠᠰᠢᠨ ᠲᠡᠷᠭᠡ (vehicle) · udm автобус (vehicle) · mt tal-linja (vehicle) · ce автобус (vehicle) · cs autobus (vehicle) · alt автобус (vehicle) · la lāophorīum (vehicle) · hrx Onnibus (vehicle) · is langferðabíll (vehicle) · kpv автобус (vehicle) · fr bus (vehicle) · mn бас (vehicle) · lv kopne (electrical conductor) · rue авто́бус (vehicle) · hu busz (electrical conductor) · mn автобус (vehicle) · bo འགྲུལ་སྐྱེལ་མོ་ཊ (vehicle) · smn bussi (vehicle) · khb ᦟᦷᧆᦑᦸᧉᦟᦱᧅᦃᦶᧅᧈ (vehicle) · ee bɔs (vehicle) · de Bus (electrical conductor) · eo buso (electrical conductor) · pa ਬੱਸ (vehicle) · rsk автобус (vehicle) · acw أُتُبيس (vehicle) · uk авто́бус (vehicle) · hak 公共汽車 /公共汽车 (vehicle) · hu busz (vehicle) · liv outōbus (vehicle) · prs بَس (vehicle) · ary طوبيس (vehicle) · hak 公車 /公车 (vehicle) · yue 巴士 (vehicle) · he אוֹטוֹבּוּס (vehicle) · ru авто́бус (vehicle) · ca bus (electrical conductor) · ny gálímoto class 9/6 (vehicle) · ml ബസ് (vehicle) · bn বাস (vehicle) · ps بس (vehicle) · fa-ira باس (electrical conductor) · inh автобус (vehicle) · sa बसयान (vehicle) · mhr автобус (vehicle) · fi linja-auto (vehicle) · uk бус (vehicle) · es autobús (vehicle) · bua автобус (vehicle) · kum автобус (vehicle) · mos biisi (vehicle) · ar بَاص (vehicle) · as বাচ (vehicle) · krl avtoubussu (vehicle) · kjh автобус (vehicle) · ug ئاپتوۋۇز (vehicle) · ia bus (vehicle) · wo bus (vehicle) · cmn 公交車 /公交车 (vehicle) · sjd автобусс (vehicle) · cy bws (vehicle) · mn ᠠᠦ᠋ᠲ᠋ᠣᠪᠦ᠋ᠰ (vehicle) · pwn basu (vehicle) · ar حَافِلَة (vehicle) · dng гунгун чичә (vehicle) · kk автобус (vehicle) · mk магистра́ла (electrical conductor) · mzs bâs (vehicle) · es micro (vehicle) · ur بَس (vehicle) · ff 𞤳𞤢𞥄𞤪𞤵𞤱𞤢𞤤 (vehicle) · es bus (electrical conductor) · cmn 公共汽車 /公共汽车 (vehicle) · km អូតូការ (vehicle) · pt horário (vehicle) · sl vodilo (electrical conductor) · et autobuss (vehicle) · es bondi (vehicle) · es camión (vehicle) · yue 公共汽車 /公共汽车 (vehicle) · vo nibud (vehicle) · kld banbu (vehicle) · ckb پاس (vehicle) · pl szyna (electrical conductor) · is strætó (vehicle) · mi pahi (vehicle) · pt autocarro (vehicle) · uli baas (vehicle) · fi väylä (electrical conductor) · ka ავტობუსი (vehicle) · ady автобус (vehicle) · am አውቶቡስ (vehicle) · ff kaaruwal (vehicle) · nah calmimilolli (vehicle) · dng автобус (vehicle) · id bus (vehicle) · te బస్సు (vehicle) · ro magistrală (electrical conductor) · crh avtobus (vehicle) · tt автобус (vehicle) · es bus (vehicle) · vi buýt (vehicle) · nan-hbl 公共汽車 /公共汽车 (vehicle) · ia autobus (vehicle) · br bus (vehicle) · cmn 公交 (vehicle) · st bese (vehicle) · nl bus (vehicle) · ky автобус (vehicle) · prs سَرْوِیس (vehicle) · nn buss (vehicle) · cmn 巴士 (vehicle) · cs bus (vehicle) · ar نَاقِل (electrical conductor) · id otobis (vehicle) · hi बस (electrical conductor) · lb Bus (vehicle) · ar أُتُوبِيس (vehicle) · cmn 客車 /客车 (vehicle) · hi बस (vehicle) · be бус (vehicle) · nl autobus (vehicle) · vo motoranibud (vehicle) · ar أُتُوبُوس (vehicle) · it bus (electrical conductor) · kam mbasi (vehicle) · uk ши́на (electrical conductor) · wym aojtobüs (vehicle) · fi bussi (vehicle) · mn ᠪᠠᠰ (vehicle) · ru ши́на (electrical conductor) · gd bus (vehicle) · bo ཀུང་ཀུང་ཆིའི་ཁྲེ (vehicle) · cs sběrnice (electrical conductor) · sms buss (vehicle) · krl autobušši (vehicle) · hsn 公共汽車 /公共汽车 (vehicle) · yue 公交車 /公交车 (vehicle) · fr bus (electrical conductor) · tn bese (vehicle) · sh ауто́бус (vehicle) · uz avtobus (vehicle) · lo ລົດ (vehicle) · et buss (vehicle) · apw ndee naigheehí (vehicle) · fa-ira اُتوبوس (vehicle) · hak 巴士 (vehicle) · ms bas (vehicle) · kn ಬಸ್ಸು (vehicle) · eo aŭtobuso (vehicle) · my ဘတ်စ်ကား (vehicle) · es camioneta (vehicle) · hu autóbusz (vehicle) · sah оптуобус (vehicle) · lo ລົດບັດ (vehicle) · ja バス (vehicle) · mt xarabank (vehicle) · gur lo-katɛ class 7/8 (vehicle) · pl magistrala (electrical conductor) · az şin (electrical conductor) · lt autobusas (vehicle) · vi xe buýt (vehicle) · cmn 公車 /公车 (vehicle) · th รถ (vehicle) · ki bathi (vehicle) · mn нийтийн машин тэрэг (vehicle) · bg ши́на (electrical conductor) · acw باص (vehicle) · cv автобус (vehicle) · ti ኣውቶቡስ (vehicle)

Source: en.wiktionary, “bus” (noun), dump 20260902, contributors via the page history. Text licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

bus en · VERB · etymology 1

Pronunciation

  • /bʌs/
  • (US) audio
  • (UK) audio
  • bŭs
  • /bʊz/ Birmingham, Black Country
  • /bʌs/ (Scotland)
  • /bʊs/ (Ireland, Northern-England)
  • /bɐs/ (Australia, Mid-Atlantic, New-Zealand, Philippines)
  • /bɔs/ Northern Cities Vowel Shift, Ireland

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₃ep-der. Proto-Italic *opnis Latin omnis Latin omnibuslbor. French omnibusbor. English omnibusclip. English bus Clipping of omnibus. Superseded earlier 'bus, where the apostrophe indicated a clipping. The shift in spelling likely reflects the fact that modern speakers no longer perceive this term as a clipping. The electrical sense is derived from figurative application of the automotive sense.

Meanings

  1. (transitive) To transport via a motor bus.
    • Because the new language school of Fu Jen University in the nearby city of Hsinchu was not yet completed, we were bused with other aspiring students of Chinese language to a farming village called Kuanhsi (Guanxi: West Pass), nestled against the tea growing hills of Hsinchu county. 1999, Michael Saso, Velvet Bonds: The Chinese Family, →ISBN, →OCLC, →OL, page ix:
    • Machine guns are the most effective form of ‘election campaigning’, but the occupiers appear to also be bussing in ‘voters’ from the Russian Federation, and ‘registering total strangers in the homes of people forced to flee after the Russian invasion. 2024 March 13, Halya Coynash, “Russians with machine guns ensure occupied Ukraine ‘votes’ for Putin”, in Human Rights in Ukraine. The Information Portal of the Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group, archived from the original on 06 Aug 2024:
    • The ANC has accused the IFP of bussing in voters from other wards to vote during the recent Newcastle Municipality by-election won by the IFP. 2024 March 14, Clive Ndou, “ANC set to open case against ‘ghost IFP voters’”, in The Witness, archived from the original on 10 Feb 2026:
  2. (US, transitive) To transport students to school, often to a more distant school for the purposes of achieving racial integration.
    • But if you ask me to bus my children / I hope the cops take down your name 1966, Phil Ochs, “Love Me, I'm a Liberal”, in Phils Ochs in Concert:
    • ...to strike down Detroit's federal court order to bus students across school district lines for the purpose of desegregation and therefore nullify many busing programs throughout the country. 2008, Ashley R. Holm, Racial Differences in Student Engagement and Attainment: A Study of Topeka High School, 1939--1984, ProQuest, →ISBN, page 23:
  3. (intransitive) To travel by bus.

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
bussing Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
busing Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
busses Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres lexicographic
bused Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
bused Tense=Past lexicographic
buses Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres lexicographic
bussed Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
bussed Tense=Past lexicographic

Translations (28)

fi kuljettaa bussilla (transport students to school) · nl vervoeren met de bus (transport via a motor bus) · nl met de bus reizen (travel by bus) · fi kuljettaa bussilla (transport via a motor bus) · sv bussa (transport via a motor bus) · hu leszedi az asztalt (clear meal remains from) · no busse (transport students to school) · sv åka buss (travel by bus) · fi plokata (clear meal remains from) · fi kulkea linja-autolla (travel by bus) · fi kuljettaa linja-autolla (transport students to school) · nl vervoeren met de bus (transport students to school) · fi tyhjentää astia (clear meal remains from) · sv bussa (transport students to school) · fi kuljettaa linja-autolla (transport via a motor bus) · nl afruimen (clear meal remains from) · hu leszedőként dolgozik (work as a table clearer) · vi xe đưa đón học sinh (buýt) (transport students to school) · fi siivota pöytä (work as a table clearer) · fi plokata (work as a table clearer) · fi bussittaa (transport via a motor bus) · cs sklízet nádobí (work as a table clearer) · sv bussa (travel by bus) · no busse (travel by bus) · fi kulkea bussilla (travel by bus) · hu kisegítő pincérként dolgozik (work as a table clearer) · no busse (transport via a motor bus) · nl afruimen (work as a table clearer)

wikipedia: Canadian Oxford Dictionary

Source: en.wiktionary, “bus” (verb), dump 20260902, contributors via the page history. Text licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

bus en · VERB · etymology 2

Etymology

Back-formation from busboy.

Meanings

  1. (US, qualifier:food service, transitive) To clear meal remains from.
    • He was hired to bus tables, but after a few incidents they moved him to the kitchen. 2019, Colson Whitehead, The Nickel Boys, Fleet, page 13:
    • He bussed tables as the restaurant emptied out.
  2. (US, intransitive, qualifier:food service) To work at clearing the remains of meals from tables or counters; to work as a busboy.
    • He’s been bussing for minimum wage.

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
buses Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres lexicographic
busing Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
bussing Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
bused Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
bused Tense=Past lexicographic
busses Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres lexicographic
bussed Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
bussed Tense=Past lexicographic

Deriveds

busser

Translations (28)

fi kuljettaa bussilla (transport students to school) · nl vervoeren met de bus (transport via a motor bus) · nl met de bus reizen (travel by bus) · fi kuljettaa bussilla (transport via a motor bus) · sv bussa (transport via a motor bus) · hu leszedi az asztalt (clear meal remains from) · no busse (transport students to school) · sv åka buss (travel by bus) · fi plokata (clear meal remains from) · fi kulkea linja-autolla (travel by bus) · fi kuljettaa linja-autolla (transport students to school) · nl vervoeren met de bus (transport students to school) · fi tyhjentää astia (clear meal remains from) · sv bussa (transport students to school) · fi kuljettaa linja-autolla (transport via a motor bus) · nl afruimen (clear meal remains from) · hu leszedőként dolgozik (work as a table clearer) · vi xe đưa đón học sinh (buýt) (transport students to school) · fi siivota pöytä (work as a table clearer) · fi plokata (work as a table clearer) · fi bussittaa (transport via a motor bus) · cs sklízet nádobí (work as a table clearer) · sv bussa (travel by bus) · no busse (travel by bus) · fi kulkea bussilla (travel by bus) · hu kisegítő pincérként dolgozik (work as a table clearer) · no busse (transport via a motor bus) · nl afruimen (work as a table clearer)