bus

bus

I. bus¹ S1 W2 /bʌs/ BrE AmE noun (plural buses or busses especially American English) [countable]
[Date: 1800-1900; Origin: omnibus]

1. a large vehicle that people pay to travel on
on a bus
There were a lot of people on the bus.
by bus
The best way to get there is by bus.
I took a bus to San Francisco.
Buses run at 15 and 30 minutes past the hour.
2. a ↑circuit that connects the main parts of a computer so that signals can be sent from one part of the computer to another
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ verbs
▪ go/travel by bus I usually go to work by bus.
▪ go on the bus/use the bus (=travel by bus) It's easier to go on the bus than to drive.
▪ get/take/catch a bus Can we get a bus from here to Reading?
▪ ride a bus American English It was the first time Craig had ridden a bus downtown by himself.
▪ get on/off a bus Several more passengers got on the bus.
▪ wait for a bus We were waiting for the bus for half an hour.
▪ miss the bus (=be too late to get on a bus) He woke up late and missed the bus.
▪ a bus goes/leaves The last bus went ten minutes ago.
▪ a bus comes/arrives I waited and waited but the bus didn't come.
▪ buses run (=go at regular times) The buses run less frequently on a Sunday.
■ bus + NOUN
▪ a bus ride/journey/trip It's a 20-minute bus ride into town.
▪ a bus stop (=a place where a bus stops for passengers) She got off at the next bus stop.
▪ a bus shelter (=a small covered area where you wait for a bus) Some kids had vandalized the bus shelter.
▪ a bus service (=a service that provides regular buses) It's a small village but there is a good bus service.
▪ a bus route We live very near a main bus route.
▪ a bus fare (=the money you pay for a bus journey) Can you lend me 50p for my bus fare?
▪ a bus ticket She lost her bus ticket.
▪ a bus pass (=a card that allows you to make several bus journeys) Most of the students have a termly bus pass.
▪ a bus station (=a place where buses start and finish their journeys) Dad met me at the bus station.
▪ a bus lane (=a part of the road where only buses are allowed to drive) You can be fined for driving in a bus lane.
▪ a bus driver She asked the bus driver where to get off for the Botanical Gardens.
▪ a bus timetable The bus timetable changes on January 31st.
▪ a bus queue British English (=a line of people waiting for a bus) We were chatting while we stood in the bus queue.
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + bus
▪ a school bus Hurry up or you'll miss the school bus!
▪ a shuttle bus (=one that makes regular short journeys between two places) There's a shuttle bus between the hotel and the beach.
▪ a double-decker bus (=one with two levels for passengers) London used to be famous for its double-decker buses.
▪ an open-topped bus (=one without a roof, used for showing tourists a town etc) We took a tour on an open-topped bus.
▪ a regular bus (=one that goes at regular times) Regular buses run to the airport.
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THESAURUS
▪ bus a large vehicle that people pay to travel on: There were a lot of people on the bus.
▪ coach British English a bus with comfortable seats used for long journeys: Taking the coach is cheaper than the train.
▪ minibus a small bus with seats for six to twelve people: The school uses a minibus to take teams to matches.
▪ double-decker a bus with two levels: the red double-deckers in London
▪ articulated bus (also bendy bus British English) a very long bus that has a joint in the middle that allows it to go around corners: Articulated buses have been used in Europe for many years.
▪ tram British English, streetcar American English, trolley/trolley car American English a vehicle for passengers, which travels along metal tracks in the street, and usually gets power from electric lines over the vehicle: We waited at the stop for the tram. | San Diego has a well-used trolley system.
▪ tram American English a vehicle with many different parts for people to sit in, and which usually has open sides. A tram runs on wheels and is used to take tourists from place to place within a particular area: The tram takes visitors around the backlot of Universal Studios, where many famous movies were once made.
II. bus² BrE AmE verb (past tense and past participle bused or bussed, present participle busing or bussing)
[Sense 1: Date: 1900-2000; Origin: ⇨ ↑bus¹]
[Sense 2: Date: 1900-2000; Origin: busboy]
1. [transitive usually passive] to take a person or a group of people somewhere in a bus
bus somebody to/in/into something
Casey was bussed to the school.
2. [transitive] American English to take away dirty dishes from the tables in a restaurant:
Shelley had a job bussing tables.