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bust

bust

35 4.9
A sculpture of a person's head and upper chest
  • noun
  • /bʌst/
: busto
  • Beside it on a thick pedestal was a granite bust of Hemingway staring forward just above our eye level.
  • a marble bust
  • a portrait bust
  • bust-length

And now they're replacing that with a gold bust of Donald Trump.

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Examples

  • You already got the college to remove the founder's bust from the administration building.

  • Other highlights include this statue of Hermes at rest and this bust, likely of Dionysus.

  • This is actually a polystone bust, very heavy item.

  • And now they're replacing that with a gold bust of Donald Trump.

  • One expressed interest in a Frederic Remington bust.

  • A pedestal nearby displayed a metallic bust of the great inventor.

    Fiction book (1993)
  • In July 1664, he presented a terra-cotta bust of Mazarin to his associates there.

    Academic text (2001)
  • The museum displayed a stunning bust of the famous playwright, capturing every detail of his face.

  • Visitors admired the ancient bust that represented a Roman emperor, showcasing exquisite craftsmanship.

  • In the gallery, there was a magnificent bust of a historical figure, perfectly positioned under the soft lighting.

Synonyms

sculpture
vsbust
37 3.4

The art of making three-dimensional figures by carving or molding

is a specific portrait of head and upper chest rather than the general art
statuette
vsbust
9 5.4

A small statue of a person, animal, or thing

focuses on head and shoulders rather than a small whole figure
term
vsbust
  • Archaic
5 9.9

A carved statue or bust on top of a pillar that marks a boundary

is a free-standing portrait of head and shoulders, not a pillar carving
1 3.4

A work of art made by shaping clay, like a figure or pot

is specifically a portrait of head and upper chest regardless of material

Idioms

to bust a cap
  • Offensive
10 9.9

Shoot someone with a gun, often during violence or threats

to bust a nut
  • Offensive
1 9.9

To release semen during sex and used jokingly to show extreme excitement

1 9.0

To tease or nag someone, often in a playful way

Compounds

drug bust
  • NSFW
14 3.1

An occasion when police take illegal drugs and arrest people

9.9

New owners sell a company's parts to pay the debt they used to buy it

bust-up
  • UK
7.1

A serious argument that ends a friendship or other relationship

A police action in which officers pretend to buy illegal drugs to arrest sellers

drugs bust
  • NSFW
3.7

An event when police take illegal drugs and arrest people

How Complete

statue
381 1.0
torso
71 3.4
bust
35 4.9
head
∞ 1.8

Surface Forms

bust singular
busts plural

Etymology

Bust for a statue comes from an old word for the 'bust' or upper chest, so people used the same name for a small sculpture that shows the head and upper body.