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Meaning of busy in English
Pronunciation
/ˈbɪzi/
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Verb
busy
Definitions
1.
keep busy with
Examples
« She busies herself with her butterfly collection »
Classifying Adjective
busy
Definitions
1.
overcrowded or cluttered with detail
Examples
« a busy painting »
« a fussy design »
Synonyms
fancy
2.
intrusive in a meddling or offensive manner
Examples
« an interfering old woman »
« bustling about self-importantly making an officious nuisance of himself »
« busy about other people's business »
Synonyms
intrusive
3.
crowdedwith or characterized by much activity
Examples
« a very busy week »
« a busy life »
« a busy street »
« a busy seaport »
Synonyms
active
4.
(of facilities such as telephones or lavatories) unavailable for use by anyone else or indicating unavailability
Examples
« ('engaged' is a British term for a busy telephone line) »
« her line is busy »
« receptionists' telephones are always engaged »
« the lavatory »
Synonyms
occupied
Qualitative Adjective
busy
Etymology
Old English bisgian (verb), bisig (noun); related to Dutch bezig, of unknown origin
Definitions
1.
actively or fully engaged or occupied
Examples
« busy with her work »
« a busy man »
« too busy to eat lunch »
« the line is busy »
Synonyms
at work(p)
drudging
laboring
labouring
toiling
engaged
occupied
overbusy
tied up(p)
up to
Antonyms
idle
See also
diligent
employed