To play music or perform entertainment in a public place, usually while soliciting money.
[Earlier, to be an itinerant performer, probably from busk, to go about seeking, cruise as a pirate, perhaps from obsolete French busquer, to prowl, from Italian buscare, to prowl, or Spanish buscar, to seek, from Old Spanish boscar.]
busk′er n.
busk
(bʌsk)
n
1. (Clothing & Fashion) a strip of whalebone, wood, steel, etc, inserted into the front of a corset to stiffen it
2. (Clothing & Fashion) archaicordialect the corset itself
[C16: from Old French busc, probably from Old Italian busco splinter, stick, of Germanic origin]
busk
(bʌsk)
vb
(Music, other) (intr) Brit to make money by singing, dancing, acting, etc, in public places, as in front of theatre queues
[C20: perhaps from Spanish buscar to look for]
ˈbuskern
ˈbuskingn
busk
(bʌsk)
vb (tr)
1. to make ready; prepare
2. to dress or adorn
[C14: from Old Norse būask, from būa to make ready, dwell; see bower1]
busk
(bʌsk)
v.i.
Chiefly Brit. to entertain by dancing, singing, or reciting on the street or in a public place.
[1850–55; probably < Polari < Italian buscare to procure, get, gain < Sp buscar to look for]