Etymology
Clipping of omnibus. Formerly often spelled 'bus, the apostrophe implying that is a shortened word. The electrical sense is derived from figurative application of the automotive sense.
Noun
bus (plural buses or busses)
- (automotive) A motor vehicle for transporting large numbers of people along roads.
- A coach, a bus used for long travels.
- An electrical conductor or interface serving as a common connection for two or more circuits or components.
- Part of a MIRV missile, having on-board motors used to deliver the warhead to a target.
- (networking) A network topology with each computer connected to a single cable.
Derived terms
- airbus
- bus boy
- busdriver
- bus fare
- busload
- bus pass
- bus stop
- city bus
- microbus
- minibus
- school bus
- shuttle bus
- tour bus
- transit bus
Verb
bus (third-person singular simple present busses or buses, present participle bussing or busing, simple past and past participle bussed or bused)
- (transitive, automotive, transport) To transport via a motor bus.
- (transitive, automotive, transport) To transport students to school, often to a more distant school for the purposes of achieving racial integration.
- (intransitive, automotive, transport) To travel by bus.
- (transitive|US|food service) To clear meal remains from.
- He bussed tables as the restaurant emptied out.
- (intransitive|US|food service) To work at clearing the remains of meals from tables or counters; to work as a busboy.
- He’s been bussing for minimum wage.
Usage notes
The Canadian Oxford Dictionary only presents the spellings buses, busing, and bused, implying that these are the predominant forms in Canada.
Credits
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