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prettygoodwordbusticate (BUS-ti-kayt) - v., to break into pieces.
This appears to be another in the annals of colorful 19th century North American coinages, formed along the lines of absquatulate by putting a Latin verbal suffix -icate on the native English bust (variant form of burst, which dates back to Old English). But you'd be wrong: it appears to be a colorful early 20th century North American coinage formed by etc. -- the earliest citation I can find is from 1906 (Eric Partridge's dates it to 1915).
---L.
This appears to be another in the annals of colorful 19th century North American coinages, formed along the lines of absquatulate by putting a Latin verbal suffix -icate on the native English bust (variant form of burst, which dates back to Old English). But you'd be wrong: it appears to be a colorful early 20th century North American coinage formed by etc. -- the earliest citation I can find is from 1906 (Eric Partridge's dates it to 1915).
---L.
