# bustle

/ˈbəsəɫ/ (US) · /bˈʌsəl/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/bustle
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. to move busily

verb · CEFR B2

to move around quickly and energetically, often because you have a lot to do.

For teachers: to move in an energetic, busy, or fussy manner. Often used with the particle 'about'.

- The waiters began to bustle about the dining room as the first guests arrived.
- The administrative staff continued to bustle about the office, preparing for the sudden arrival of the regional inspectors.

Usage: Often followed by the preposition 'about' or 'around'.

### 2. to be full of activity

verb · CEFR B2

to be full of people or things moving around busily.

For teachers: to teem or abound with energetic activity or people.

- The city market started to bustle with shoppers early on Saturday morning.
- By mid-morning, the terminal began to bustle with international travellers, creating a vibrant but chaotic atmosphere.

Usage: Usually followed by the preposition 'with'.

### 3. busy activity

noun · CEFR B2

busy, noisy, and excited activity.

For teachers: excited, noisy, or energetic activity; a stir of movement.

- I love the hustle and bustle of the big city during the holidays.
- Despite the general bustle of the trade fair, the two CEOs managed to find a quiet corner for their private discussion.

Usage: Commonly appears in the fixed binomial phrase 'hustle and bustle'.

### 4. skirt frame

noun · CEFR C2 · Archaic

a frame worn under the back of a woman's skirt in the past to change its shape.

For teachers: a padded undergarment or frame worn under the back of a woman's skirt to add fullness or support drapery.

- The museum displayed a Victorian dress that required a large bustle underneath.
- Fashion historians noted that the size of the bustle reached its peak in the mid-1880s before disappearing from common use.

Teaching tip: This sense is historical; learners will only encounter it in literature or history contexts regarding 19th-century fashion.

### 5. computer cover

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

a cover used to protect the back of a computer or office machine.

For teachers: a protective cover or housing designed to hide the rear panel and cables of a computer or office machine.

- The technician removed the bustle to access the cables at the back of the server.
- The workstation was fitted with a custom bustle to maintain a clean aesthetic by concealing the messy wiring.

## Examples

- The server is under a lot of bustle right now.
- The network administrator noticed a sudden increase in bustle during the morning hours as the office users all logged in simultaneously.
- The system's performance began to degrade significantly once the bustle of the peak transaction period reached its peak, causing several minor timeouts across the application.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.