busk

UK: /ˈbʌsk/ US: (busk)

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

busk  (busk), v.i. 

1. British Terms [Chiefly Brit.] to entertain by dancing, singing, or reciting on the street or in a public place.
2. British Terms [Canadian.] to make a showy or noisy appeal.

• Spanish buscar to look for, seek (of disputed origin, originally)
• Italian buscare to procure, get, gain
• Polari
• perh., if earlier sense was "to make a living by entertaining,'' 1850–55

busk′er, n. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

busk / bʌsk/ verb

1. (intransitive) to make money by singing, dancing, acting, etc, in public places
2. (often followed by it) to accomplish or perform something without full preparation or knowledge; improvise

Etymology: 20th Century: perhaps from Spanish buscar to look for

ˈbusker noun

ˈbusking noun