Green’s Dictionary of Slang

see under figure n.¹

see under tip n.⁵

to lose an opportunity, to forfeit a chance.

1900		Bulletin (Sydney) 10 Nov. 32/1: I am the groom who’s lost his blessed bride – / The bloke who’s missed the ’bus.
1915		C.E.W. Bean Anzac Book 32/2: Yes; some d–––d gobblers thought they would catch our mob nappin’ but missed the bus, and some of ’em are still runnin’ yellin’ to Aller to stick to ’em.
1924		C.J. Dennis ‘A Holy War’ in Rose of Spadgers 41: ‘Young friend!’ . . . I tries to duck, but miss the bus. / ’E sees me first.
1934		Wodehouse Right Ho, Jeeves 75: It is true, Jeeves [...] that once or twice in the past I may have missed the bus.
1944		L. Glassop We Were the Rats 2: I am sorry to have to tell you the Lord’s had a fair crack of the whip and He’s missed the bus.
1965		W. King ‘The Game’ in King Black Short Story Anthol. (1972) 302: I was disgusted and pretty damn mad. If you ever missed that A-train, you know what I mean. I had just lost six hours to which I could have applied to making four-five other broads.
1967		J. Olsen in Black is Best 76: ‘If I was training a fighter to fight Cassius today, I’d tell him to get inside and stay there. That’s where Floyd Patterson missed the boat’.
1971		N. Armfelt Catching Up 126: He’s missed out, he’s missed the bus.
2024		J. Meades Empty Wigs (t/s) 782: ‘We got to get it done soon Celia, first trimester... I’ve been reading this book called You Missed The Bus Luv... about leaving it [i.e. an abortion] too late.