ENGLISH
REFERENCE

bust up

phr. v..
B2 Upper Intermediate Oxford Slang

phr. v.. to break something into pieces or to end a relationship, often with a lot of noise or fighting.

phr. v.. to cause the dissolution of a relationship or group, or to physically damage something beyond repair; often carries a colloquial or aggressive register.


SIMPLE

They decided to bust up after ten years of marriage.

CONTEXTUAL

The police arrived quickly to bust up the fight before anyone got seriously hurt.

COMPLEX

The company was forced to bust up its various subsidiaries following the court's ruling on anti-competitive practices.

Particles
up
Separability
optional
Pattern
bust + (object) + up
Usage

often used informally to describe the end of a romantic partnership or the physical destruction of property.

Teaching tip

highlight that 'bust up' is more aggressive and informal than 'break up'; it suggests a messy or violent conclusion rather than a mutual agreement.

Pitfall

They bust up it yesterday.They bust it up yesterday.when used transitively with a pronoun, the object must come between the verb and the particle.

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