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gangbusters

 - 3 dictionary results

gang⋅bust⋅er

[gang-buhs-ter]
–noun Informal.
1. a law-enforcement officer who specializes in breaking up organized crime, often by forceful or sensational means.
2. someone or something having great impact, usually in a positive way.
3. gangbusters, an outstandingly successful state or situation: We aren't looking for gangbusters, but we'd like you to pass all your subjects this semester.
–adjective Often, gangbusters.
4. of or like a law-enforcement officer who uses rough, aggressive, or sensational tactics in fighting crime: The undercover agents avoided the gangbusters approach.
5. strikingly effective or successful: a gangbusters year for compact cars.
6. enthusiastic: I'm not gangbusters over the idea.
7. go gangbusters, to be extremely successful: The movie went gangbusters.
8. like gangbusters, with great speed, intensity, vigor, impact, or success: The software market was growing like gangbusters. The hockey team came on at the beginning of the season like gangbusters.

Origin:
1935–40; gang 1 + buster
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To gangbusters
gang·bus·ter   (gāng'bŭs'tər)   
n.   Slang
A law enforcement officer who works to break up organized criminal groups.
adj.   also gangbusters
Extremely successful: an experiment yielding gangbuster results; a profitable, gangbusters quarter.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Slang Dictionary
gangbusters [ˈgæŋbəstɚz]

  1. n.
    a wild, busy, and successful event. (See also like gangbusters.) : Our party was truly gangbusters, for sure.
Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions by Richard A. Spears.Fourth Edition.
Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
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