i adjective
1.
actively and attentively engaged in work or a pastime: busy with her work.
2.
not at leisure; otherwise engaged: He couldn't see any visitors because he was busy.
3.
full of or characterized by activity: a busy life.
4.
(of a telephone line) in use by a party or parties and not immediately accessible.
5.
officious; meddlesome; prying.
verb (used with object)
7.
to keep occupied; make or keep busy: In summer, he busied himself keeping the lawn in order.
00:10
Busy
is one of our favorite verbs.
So is kibitz. Does it mean:
| to introduce subtleties into or argue subtly about. |
| chat, to converse |
Origin:
before 1000; Middle English busi, bisi, Old English bysig, bisig; cognate with Middle Low German, Middle Dutch besich, Dutch bezig
before 1000; Middle English busi, bisi, Old English bysig, bisig; cognate with Middle Low German, Middle Dutch besich, Dutch bezig
Related forms
non·bus·y, adjective
o·ver·bus·y, adjective
su·per·bus·y, adjective
un·bus·y, adjective
well-bus·ied, adjective
Synonyms
1. assiduous, hard-working. Busy, diligent, industrious imply active or earnest effort to accomplish something, or a habitual attitude of such earnestness. Busy means actively employed, temporarily or habitually: a busy official. Diligent suggests earnest and constant effort or application, and usually connotes fondness for, or enjoyment of, what one is doing: a diligent student. Industrious often implies a habitual characteristic of steady and zealous application, often with a definite goal: an industrious clerk working for promotion. 2. occupied, employed, working.
1. assiduous, hard-working. Busy, diligent, industrious imply active or earnest effort to accomplish something, or a habitual attitude of such earnestness. Busy means actively employed, temporarily or habitually: a busy official. Diligent suggests earnest and constant effort or application, and usually connotes fondness for, or enjoyment of, what one is doing: a diligent student. Industrious often implies a habitual characteristic of steady and zealous application, often with a definite goal: an industrious clerk working for promotion. 2. occupied, employed, working.
Antonyms
1. indolent. 2. unoccupied.
1. indolent. 2. unoccupied.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Link To busy
Collins
World English Dictionary
busy (ˈbɪzɪ) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —adj , busier, busiest | |
| 1. | actively or fully engaged; occupied |
| 2. | crowded with or characterized by activity: a busy day |
| 3. | chiefly (US), (Canadian) (of a room, telephone line, etc) in use; engaged |
| 4. | overcrowded with detail: a busy painting |
| 5. | meddlesome; inquisitive; prying |
| —vb , busier, busiest, busies, busying, busied | |
| 6. | (tr) to make or keep (someone, esp oneself) busy; occupy |
| [Old English bisig; related to Middle Dutch besich, perhaps to Latin festīnāre to hurry] | |
| 'busyness | |
| —n | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History
busy
O.E. bisig "careful, anxious, busy, occupied," cognate with O.Du. bezich, Low Ger. besig; no known connection with any other Germanic or Indo-European language. Still pronounced as in M.E., but for some unclear reason the spelling shifted to -u- in 15c. The word was a euphemism for "sexually active"
in 17c. Of telephone lines, 1893. In M.E., sometimes with a sense of "prying, meddlesome," preserved in busybody. Busy work is first recorded 1910. The verb is O.E. bisgian.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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American Heritage
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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Example sentences
But since long cooking requires regular attention, it's not a great solution for busy cooks.
Bacteria transfer peaked during busy hours, occurring on average up to two times per hour during breakfast rushes.
As far as the schedules these teachers keep, yes it seems to be a busy schedule.
Slow-cookers are the perfect throwback gadgets for the busy modern chef.
Nearby Words
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