all buss up

The phrase "all buss up" is universally used across Hawaii by locals of all ages to describe something that has sustained heavy damage. Derived from the English "bust" or "busted," the Pidgin pronunciation drops the "t" and adds "all" as an intensifier. It is most commonly applied to wrecked vehicles, broken machinery, or physical objects that have seen better days. However, it is also frequently used to describe a person who has been badly beaten in a physical altercation, or someone who is heavily intoxicated and stumbling around. While acceptable in casual conversation among friends and family, it is highly informal and should be avoided in professional or formal settings.

Wendy gripped the dashboard as the rusted Toyota Tacoma slammed into another jagged dip on the lava field road in Puna. The shocks had given out three years ago, but out here, you drove what ran. In the back, Kalani was holding down the blue tarps covering their water catchment supplies, his boots braced against the wheel wells while the truck violently bounced over the uneven aʻa rock.

"Eh, take it easy on the clutch, Lani!" Wendy yelled over the grinding metal sounds echoing from the undercarriage. Lani just shrugged, downshifting as they crawled up a steep incline of crushed cinder. They had been hauling materials since sunrise, patching together their off-grid setup before the heavy rains hit. Nobody complained about the grueling work; it was just the price of living out in the deep country.

When they finally pulled into the clearing, Lani killed the engine, which sputtered and hissed in protest. Kalani hopped out, wiping sweat and red dirt from his forehead, and kicked the dented rear bumper. "Man, this poor truck is all buss up," he muttered, inspecting a fresh scrape along the quarter panel. "But she still run, so we good."