bust someone's balls

bust someone's balls (third-person singular simple present busts someone's balls, present participle busting someone's balls, simple past and past participle busted someone's balls)

1. (slang, vulgar) to seriously irritate or nag someone.
   • 1990, Goodfellas:

     Henry: All day long I thought the guys in the helicopter were just local cops busting my balls over Lufthansa. But they turned out to be narcs.

• break someone's balls