Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. (orig. US) to escape, usu. from prison; thus busting out n., escaping.

1884		(con. c.1840) ‘Mark Twain’ Huckleberry Finn 328: If dey was a rattlesnake to come in heah I’d take en bust right out thoo dat log wall.
1922		B. Hecht A Thousand and One Afternoons [ebook] Lucky O'Connor, who had busted his way out of jail and was being hunted by a million people with guns [etc].
1932		(con. 1910s) J.T. Farrell Young Lonigan in Studs Lonigan (1936) 129: They were scared to hell that he’d bust out [...] Studs thought it would be a good thing to run away from home.
1939		P. Cheyney Don’t Get Me Wrong (1956) 35: I bust outa that jail this afternoon.
1952		(con. 1948) G. Mandel Flee the Angry Strangers 15: I busted out.
1955		‘Blackie’ Audett Rap Sheet 48: You guys must be them two that busted out of Stony Mountain to-day!
1970		‘Red’ Rudensky Gonif 21: You young guys are the ones who should be licking your chops over busting out.
1977		E. Bunker Animal Factory 179: The secret of busting out . . . is to keep your mind on it all the time, keep thinking, watching.
1983		A-Team Storybook 25: Come morning, we’re busting out of here.
1984		B. Ellem Doing Time 187: To bust out of prison means to escape.
1990		Tupper & Wortley Aus. Prison Sl. Gloss. 🌐 Bust. 2. Escape. As in to ‘bust out’ of prison.
2000		Hip-Hop Connection Jan. 84: Neighbourhood thug Debo has just busted out of jail.
2017		T. Pluck Bad Boy Boogie [ebook] Okie always said if he busted out, they could shoot him dead soon as he got two things [etc].

2. (orig. US) to run off, to leave.

1917		Cincinnati Enquirer (OH) 12 May 12/1: ‘I busted out ontuh the drag agin, lookin’ fer a musheen tuh frisk’.
1940		W.R. Burnett High Sierra in Four Novels (1984) 374: They come busting out a couple of jumps ahead of a shotgun blast.
1961		R.A. Norton Through Beatnik Eyeballs 25: I soon busted out this class cos I wasn’t making no headway date-wise.
1974		C. Loken Come Monday Morning 51: Them long-haired faggots nowdays don’t come bustin’ outta the backfield luggin’ that ole pig-skin like this boy use’ to.
1988		Eble Campus Sl. Oct. 2: bust out – leave a place either normally or in a hurry.
1996		Eble Campus Sl. Mar. 2: bust outa here – leave.
1997		N. Barlay Curvy Lovebox 11: As I reach the van she busts out and starts runnin’.
2008		Simon & Zorzi ‘Unconfirmed Reports’ Wire ser. 5 ep. 2 [TV script] Anybody come bustin’ out the back, you bust that shit.

3. in fig. use, to happen, esp. suddenly, explosively.

1959

Hal Ellson Jailbait Street (1963) 28: Things could bust out at any time.

4. to free someone from a problem.

1963

in T.I. Rubin Sweet Daddy 31: The nut kid comes to me I should bust him out of a jam.

5. (W.I., also bus out) in fig. use, to be successful.

1995

Francis-Jackson Official Dancehall Dict. 7: Bus-out 1. to make it big, to enjoy success.

6. (US) to help someone else escape from prison.

1992

N. Stephenson Snow Crash (1993) 72: If I get popped, you’re supposed to come round and help bust me out.