busk

(bŭsk)

intr.v. busked, busk·ing, busks

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.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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References in classic literature

But before he had written books he was in my part of the country with a fishing-wand in his hand, and I like to think that I was the boy who met him that day by Queen Margaret's burn, where the rowans are, and busked a fly for him, and stood watching, while his lithe figure rose and fell as he cast and hinted back from the crystal waters of Noran-side.

View in context

I was 15 when I started busking, and I busked without an amp to make enough money to buy one.

I started off singing on the streets but the buskers today really noise me up; SINGER HAS A POP AT PERFORMERS WHO TURN THEIR AMPS UP TO 11 TO BE NOTICED IN THE CROWDSStar KT urges hopefuls to pull the plug on their kit

"I've busked around the world, in places like Belgium and San Francisco," he says.

START SPREADING THE NEWS... BRUM BUSKER HOPES TO BE A PART OF IT IN NEW YORK AS HE IS INVITED TO PERFORM ON MAJOR TV SHOW

CHRIS BARR Chris, 21, busked his way around Glasgow, Manchester, Leeds and Newcastle before adding Huddersfield to his stomping ground a couple of years ago.

STREET SOULS; PROFILE: HUDDERSFIELD'S BUSKERS

Musician Chester Bingley, 45, who has busked across Europe said the postponement was "great news".

Auditions are staved off by buskers' opposition

One shopper tells our spy (and honorary Friendie): "Luke really attracted a huge crowd as he busked in Chavasse Park and around Liverpool One.

Not making many Friends; TheInsider All the latest celeb gossip that's fit to print Got some gossip? Call the Insider hotline on 330-4906

A PAIR of talented schoolgirls were treating shoppers to a musical extravaganza today when they busked for a charity close to their hearts.

SONGS STRAIGHT FROM THE HEART

A LONG ROAD: Angie Palmer busked for seven years in Europe

Angie's street party; EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW