Date:    Thu, 30 Apr 1998 15:33:05 +0900
<br>From:    Andrew Moody <moody[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]NUCBA.AC.JP>
<br>Subject: Re: table-bussing
<br>
<br>>
<br>>Is anyone familiar with the use of "bus" as a simple verb or in such
<br>>compounds as "table-bussing"?  My inadequate selection of American
<br>>dictionaries has revealed nothing as yet.
<br>
<br>Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dict., 10th Edition (1993) lists the following
<br>definitions for "bus" vb.
<br>
<br>--intransitive
<br>1) to travel by bus
<br>2) to work as a busboy
<br>
<br>--transitive
<br>1) transport by bus
<br>2) a) CLEAR 4D (citation is "to remove from an area or place (clear dishes
<br>from the table>") <bus dishes>
<br>   b) to remove dirty dishes from <bus tables>
<br>
<br>At the moment, I can't remember hearing the term in any context other than
<br>restaurants.
<br>
<br>I've also always been under the impression that "bussing" could also
<br>include preparing the table for the next customer, but I don't know that
<br>this is included in the standard use of the term.
<br>
<br>Also, there may be words for busboy ("bus-people"???) paraphernalia,
<br>especially the carts used to bus the dishes away from the table. Could this
<br>be the origin of the term?
<br>
<br>
<br>Andrew Moody
<br>Nagoya University of
<br>Commerce and Business Administration
<br>Nagoya, Japan
<br>