I. bus ‧ tle 1 /ˈbʌs ə l/ BrE AmE verb [intransitive always + adverb/preposition]
[ Date: 1500-1600 ; Origin: Probably from buskle 'to prepare' (16-17 centuries) , from busk 'to get ready, prepare' (13-21 centuries) , from Old Norse buask 'to prepare yourself' ]
to move around quickly, looking very busy
bustle about/round etc
Madge bustled round the room, putting things away.
II. bustle 2 BrE AmE noun
[ Sense 1: Date: 1600-1700 ; Origin: ⇨ ↑ bustle 1 ]
[ Sense 2: Date: 1700-1800 ; Origin: Origin unknown ]
1 . [singular] busy and usually noisy activity
bustle of
a continual bustle of people coming and going
⇨ hustle and bustle at ↑ hustle 2 (1)
2 . [countable] a frame worn by women in the past to hold out the back of their skirts