Years ago I used to see hitchhikers with signs that said Placename or bust, like “Pittsburgh or bust,” “New York or bust.” I haven’t seen it lately. Obviously these people want to go to Pittsburgh or New York. But what the heck is the “or bust” part supposed to mean? I have some ideas [ul][li]… or my bookie is going to bust my legs.[/li][li]… or I’m going to bust your legs.[/li]… or I’m going to go bankrupt (bust).[/ul]
The third option sounds right.
Yeah biblio, third option is right.
Basically it meant, “get me the hell to Pittsburg or I will be a homeless, starving, out-of-work person”.
Doesn’t this idiom predate hitchhikers? I believe that in the 19th century, people travelling somewhere (such as to a gold rush) might put a sign on their wagon saying “California or bust”.
The idea I got was that they were going to make it to their destination or bust a gut trying. Meant to be humorous, I think.
Sure it does, but it meant the same thing. Whoever held the sign needed to get to the desired location or they would be “bust” . . . out of money, or a job, or a home, etc.
Thanks for the lead. I found this site about the phrase with regard to the book Tuva or Bust. It confirms the financial-ruin idea. “Pikes Peak or Bust” was a common phrase at one time. According to this site, coming within sight of Pikes Peak was the sign that their journey across the Great Plains was almost finished.
I always thought it meant, Pittsburgh or “next best”. Hitchhikers often have to be content with getting along in the right general direction.
During the early 1900’s, western Kansas was going to be the Next Big Place. Lots of farmers moved there from Illinois, Indiana, and Iowa, with signs painted on their wagons that read “Kansas or Bust”.
Ten years later, when the wet period gave way to the regularly-scheduled dry period, and they discovered that you couldn’t grow wheat there after all, they all went home again, with signs that read “In God We Trusted–In Kansas We Busted.”