busy

[ biz-ee ]

adjective

, bus·i·er, bus·i·est.

1. actively and attentively engaged in work or a pastime:

   busy with her work.

   Synonyms: hardworking, assiduous

   Antonyms: indolent

2. not at leisure; otherwise engaged:

   He couldn't see any visitors because he was busy.

   Synonyms: working, occupied

   Antonyms: unoccupied

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.
6. ornate, disparate, or clashing in design or colors; cluttered with small, unharmonious details; fussy:

   The rug is too busy for this room.

verb (used with object)

, bus·ied, bus·y·ing.

1. to keep occupied; make or keep busy:

   In summer, he busied himself keeping the lawn in order.

busy

/ ˈbɪzɪ /

adjective

1. actively or fully engaged; occupied
2. crowded with or characterized by activity

   a busy day

3. (of a room, telephone line, etc) in use; engaged
4. overcrowded with detail

   a busy painting

5. meddlesome; inquisitive; prying

verb

1. tr to make or keep (someone, esp oneself) busy; occupy

Derived Forms

• ˈbusyness, noun

Other Words From

• non·busy adjective
• over·busy adjective
• super·busy adjective
• un·busy adjective
• well-busied adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of busy¹

First recorded before 950; Middle English busi, bisi, Old English bysig, bisig; cognate with Middle Low German, Middle Dutch besich, Dutch bezig

Word History and Origins

Origin of busy¹

Old English bisig ; related to Middle Dutch besich , perhaps to Latin festīnāre to hurry

Idioms and Phrases

• get busy

Synonym Study

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.

Related Words

• bustling
• full
• hectic
• lively
• restless