A dictionary of Confusable Phrases: More Than 10,000 Idioms and Collocations

bus boy • busman
bus boy —(also: busboy) a person whose duty is to clear and
reset tables in a restaurant: They felt embarrassed, the way a
professional fighter would feel after beating hell out of a bus
boy.
busman— the driver of a bus: Mark was an asset to the club
with his experience working as a busman in the city.
See also: boys on the bus, the / man on the bus, the.
bush baby • Bushboy
bush baby —any of several small African lemurs of the genus
Galago: The occasional cry of a bush-baby alone broke the
awful silence.
Bushboy —Bushman (member of certain nomadic tribes in the
desert regions of South Africa): I found a funny little fellow in
the shape of the Bushboy awaiting my arrival.
Bush Negro • Bushman
Bush Negro —one of a people of African ancestry descended
from runaway slaves and inhabiting the Guianas in South
America: Saramakkan is spoken only by the Bush Negroes on
the upper reaches of the Surinam or “Saramakka” river.
Bushman —member of certain nomadic tribes in the desert
regions of South Africa: In Africa … we find the Bushman
and Hottentot in the South, and the Akkas and Niam-Niams
in the center, very small in stature and yellow in color.
bush telegraph • field telegraph
bush telegraph —(also: bush wireless) rapid dissemination of
rumors, information, etc. by word-of-mouth: “How did the
Imam get to know about it?” “The bush telegraph works very
well here in Bahrain.”
field telegraph —(Military) a movable telegraph system for
use on campaign, maneuvers, etc.: The field telegraph detach-
ments are trained in peace time to everything connected with
telegraphy.
businessman • man of business
businessman —a man who is engaged in business (running a
commercial or industrial firm, etc.): His father was a well-
known businessman in the city.
man of business —
1
. = businessman: A man of business should
be quick, decisive, and callous against small rubs. 2. (UK) a
person’s agent or solicitor: As her man of business, I immedi-
ately proceeded to examine her papers.