on the bung
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
Not working properly; kaput.
Register: slang
Where it’s used:
Used
Australian English
Examples
[…] and on the way back home on the train, drinking white wine out of plastic cups, I had to take a call from someone whose sewage system had gone on the bung.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “on the bung” mean?
Not working properly; kaput.
Is “on the bung” formal or informal?
on the bung is generally slang.