bust-out
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Sense 1
Meaning · English
An escape attempt, usually from a prison.
Register: slang
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Sense 2
Meaning · English
An attempt at cheating, such as gambling with weighted dice.
Register: dated, slang
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Sense 3
Meaning · English
A commercial bankruptcy caused for deliberate and nefarious purposes by organized crime; any deliberately contrived bankruptcy.
Register: dated, slang
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “bust-out” mean?
An escape attempt, usually from a prison.
Is “bust-out” formal or informal?
bust-out is generally slang.