rumbustious

English

Etymology

From rum- (“strong, very”) +‎ bust +‎ -ious.

Alternatively, possibly from an alteration of robustious.

Adjective

rumbustious (comparative more rumbustious, superlative most rumbustious)

1. (chiefly British, informal) Boisterous and unruly.

   Synonym: (chiefly US) rambunctious

   • 1912, Blanche Edith Baughan, “Red and Yellow and Ripe”, in Brown Bread from a Colonial Oven:

     “Childer! Borne ’em I ’ave, an’ buried ’em I ’ave, but now I can’t seem to do wi’ their clatter no more—young things is that restless an’ rumbustious.”

   • 1955 February, Michael Robbins, “A Railway Treaty: The Brighton and South Eastern Agreement of 1848”, in Railway Magazine, page 98:

     In the rumbustious atmosphere of the mania years, 1845 and 1846, this state of things gave rise to acrimony which both sides faced with confidence; but as the reaction set in during 1847, it seemed better to come to terms.

Alternative forms

• rambustious
• rumbumptious

Derived terms

• rambunctious
• rumbustiously
• rumbustiousness