bus

 
Pronunciation: /bʌs/

noun (plural buses; US also busses)

  • 1a large motor vehicle carrying passengers by road, typically one serving the public on a fixed route and for a fare: [as modifier]: a bus service
  • informal, dated a car, aircraft, or other vehicle.
  • 2 Computing a distinct set of conductors carrying data and control signals within a computer system, to which pieces of equipment may be connected in parallel.

verb (busses, bussing, bussed or buses, busing, bused)

  • 1 [with object and adverbial of direction] transport in a communal road vehicle: staff were bussed in and out of the factory
  • [no object, with adverbial of direction] travel by bus: the priest bussed in from a neighbouring parish
  • North American transport (a child of one ethnic group) to a school where another group is predominant, in an attempt to promote racial integration.
  • 2 [with object] North American remove (dirty plates and dishes) from a table in a restaurant or cafeteria.
  • remove dirty plates and dishes from (a table).

Phrases

throw someone under the bus

informal, chiefly US
cause someone else to suffer in order to save oneself or gain personal advantage: the government is ready to throw rural voters under the bus

Derivatives

busser

noun
bus (sense 2 of the verb)

Origin:

early 19th century: shortening of omnibus

Spelling rule

Add -es to make the plurals of nouns that end in -s: (buses).

Spelling help

The different forms of the verb can be spelled with either a single or a double s: (buses, busing, bused or busses, bussing, bussed).