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Dictionary

Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

bust a gut en · VERB

Pronunciation

Meanings

  1. (slang) To work or try very hard.
    • I had to really bust a gut to get it done by the deadline.
    • "I do want a railway that reflects the demands of it, but I also want a railway that is busting a gut to put more passengers on." 2026 July 8, Richard Wilcock, “Temporary service reduction 'only what any clever business would do'”, in RAIL, number 1065, page 8:
  2. (slang) To develop a pain in the side from laughing hard.
    • Something about the way he said that made me just bust a gut: I practically died laughing!

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
busted a gut Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
busted a gut Tense=Past lexicographic
busts a gut Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres lexicographic
busting a gut Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
bust a gut Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
bust a gut Tense=Past lexicographic