bust balls

bust (one's) balls

1. rude slang (acting upon oneself) To exert a significant amount of energy to do, accomplish, or complete something, especially with great haste. I've been busting my balls all night long to get this presentation ready for tomorrow's meeting. She's going to have to bust her balls if she wants a place on the varsity team.
2. rude slang (acting upon someone else) To harass, nag, or upbraid someone to do, accomplish, or complete something. The boss is busting everyone's balls to get the project ready by next week. Quit busting my balls! I'll get it done eventually!
3. rude slang (acting upon someone else) To tease, ridicule, or mock someone, usually jocosely. Don't get so worked up, man, I'm just busting your balls. I like her family, but her uncle always busts my balls when we see him.
See also: ball, bust
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

bust (someone's) balls

/chops
1. Vulgar Slang To make extreme or unreasonable demands of someone.
2. To harass or scold someone.
See also: ball, bust
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition.
See also:
  • bust (one's) balls
  • bust (one's) hump
  • bust a nut
  • bust chops
  • bust someone's chops
  • bust your chops
  • chops
  • bust (one's) chops
References in periodicals archive
player in Alexander Payne's 1999 classic, "Election." In this literate, dark comedy about the rough road to student body president as political metaphor, Witherspoon planted the seeds for a thoroughbred career: intelligent, literate, beautiful--and not afraid to bust balls.
Standard bearer: Reese Witherspoon tackles new challenges with onscreen roles, behind scenes biz leadership