busy en · ADJ · etymology 1
Pronunciation
Etymology
From Middle English bisy, busie, from Old English bisiġ (“busy, occupied, diligent”), from Proto-West Germanic *bisīg (“diligent; zealous; busy”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian biesich (“active, diligent, hard-working, industrious”), Dutch bezig (“busy”), Low German besig (“busy”). The spelling with ⟨u⟩ represents the pronunciation of the West Midland and Southern dialects while the Modern English pronunciation with /ɪ/ is from the dialects of the East Midlands.
Meanings
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Crowded with business or activities; having a great deal going on.
Although they had but that moment left the school behind them, they were now in the busy thoroughfares of a city, where shadowy passengers passed and repassed; where shadowy carts and coaches battled for the way, and all the strife and tumult of a real city were.[…]They left the busy scene, and went into an obscure part of the town, where Scrooge had never penetrated before, although he recognised its situation, and its bad repute.
1843 December 19, Charles Dickens, “(please specify the page number)”, in A Christmas Carol. […], London: Chapman & Hall, […], →OCLC:Be careful crossing that busy street.
With hours to go before their labor contract expired, longshoremen on the East and Gulf Coasts prepared on Monday to go on strike at midnight, halting most activity at some of the busiest U.S. ports.
2024 September 30, Peter Eavis, “Counteroffers Exchanged in Effort to Avert U.S. Dock Strike”, in The New York Times, archived from the original on 01 Oct 2024:To-morrow is a busy day.
c. 1593 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Richard the Third: […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene iii]:
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Engaged with or preoccupied by an activity or person.
Go away, I’m busy sleeping!
He is busy with piano practice.
In fact she was so busy doing all the things that anyone might, who finds themselves alone in an empty house, that she did not notice at first when it began to turn dusk and the rooms to grow dim.
1967, Barbara Sleigh, Jessamy, Sevenoaks, Kent: Bloomsbury, published 1993, →ISBN, page 18:His hands were busy with his garments all this time; turning them inside out, putting them on upside down, tearing them, mislaying them, making them parties to every kind of extravagance.
1843 December 19, Charles Dickens, “(please specify the page number)”, in A Christmas Carol. […], London: Chapman & Hall, […], →OCLC:And the first thing I did was to lay by a certain quantity of provisions, being the stores for our voyage; and intended in a week or a fortnight’s time to open the dock, and launch out our boat. I was busy one morning upon something of this kind, when I called to Friday, and bid him to go to the sea-shore and see if he could find a turtle or a tortoise, a thing which we generally got once a week, for the sake of the eggs as well as the flesh. But to return to Friday; he was so busy about his father that I could not find in my heart to take him off for some time; but after I thought he could leave him a little, I called him to me, and he came jumping and laughing, and pleased to the highest extreme: then I asked him if he had given his father any bread.
1719 May 6 (Gregorian calendar), [Daniel Defoe], The Life and Strange Surprizing Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, […], London: […] W[illiam] Taylor […], →OCLC:The director cannot see you now: he's busy.
These days, as people get busier and busier, many are skipping the tamale making and just cooking up this thick polentalike soup.
1997, Douglas Rodriguez, Latin ladles:Her telephone has been busy all day.
Ramzi is busy getting ready for meetings.
After walking several miles in a leisurely manner, and too busy to know anything about it, they found at last, on examining their watches, that it was time to be at home.
1813 January 27, [Jane Austen], Pride and Prejudice: […], volume (please specify |volume=I to III), London: […] [George Sidney] for T[homas] Egerton, […], →OCLC:It may get even busier in town when a sleek train service called the Brightline debuts this summer, shuttling travelers between nearby West Palm Beach and Miami.
2017 March 1, Hannah Seligson, “Where to get hip in Palm Beach”, in CNN, archived from the original on 12 Aug 2025:
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Having much work to do; having much to get done.
Finding the time to work out and cook healthy meals is easily pushed to the wayside in our ordinary, busy lives.
2015 June 19, Jennifer Cohen, “Always busy? 8 ways to stay fit”, in CNN, archived from the original on 15 Aug 2025:Near-synonym: swamped
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Having a lot going on; complicated or intricate.
Flowers, stripes, and checks in the same fabric make for a busy pattern.
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Officious; meddling.
I will be hanged if some eternal villain, Some busy and insinuating rogue, Some cogging, cozening slave, to get some office, Have not devised this slander; I'll be hanged else.
c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Othello, the Moore of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene ii], line 130:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| busier | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic | |
| busiest | Degree=Sup | lexicographic | |
| busie | alternative, obsolete | lexicographic |
Deriveds
embusy · busy as a beaver · ever-busy · busy as a nailer · underbusy · busy wait · semibusy · keep someone busy · busihead · busy beaver · business · the line is busy · busy beaver function · busy as a bee · busy-ness · busy bee · busybody · busy-work · busy loop · nonbusy · busy board · busy box · busy little beaver · busily · busyish · busy body · superbusy · busy as a one-armed paperhanger · busy as a dyke in a hardware store · busyness · Wheal Busy · I'm busy · busy signal · busy belt · get busy · busy work · fast busy signal · busy as a one-armed paper hanger · busy book
Descendants
Synonyms
swamped · bustling · swamped · heavy
Translations (222)
mi toritori (doing a great deal) · no travel (doing a great deal) · uk за́йняті (engaged or preoccupied) · ar مَشْغُول (doing a great deal) · ja 忙しい (doing a great deal) · sv upptagen (doing a great deal) · fi kiireinen (doing a great deal) · he עסוק (engaged or preoccupied) · es hasta la guacha (doing a great deal) · de beschäftigt (crowded with business or activities) · sv livligt trafikerad (crowded with business or activities) · be за́няты (doing a great deal) · sco thrang (doing a great deal) · ka დაკავებული (engaged or preoccupied) · ca ocupat (doing a great deal) · hu zavaros (complicated) · sk rušný (crowded with business or activities) · th ยุ่ง (doing a great deal) · hi मशग़ूल (doing a great deal) · mk зафатен (doing a great deal) · fi levoton (complicated) · cdo 忙 (crowded with business or activities) · no travel (engaged or preoccupied) · ps بوخت (engaged or preoccupied) · la occupatus (engaged or preoccupied) · bg натоварен (crowded with business or activities) · he הוֹמֶה (crowded with business or activities) · he סוֹאֵן (crowded with business or activities) · da befærdet (crowded with business or activities) · la negotiosus (doing a great deal) · id sibuk (doing a great deal) · ota مشغول (doing a great deal) · tt мәшгуль (doing a great deal) · fr occupé (engaged or preoccupied) · pt ocupado (doing a great deal) · fi työntäyteinen (doing a great deal) · sq zënë (doing a great deal) · hi व्यस्त (doing a great deal) · az başıqarışıq (doing a great deal) · yi פֿאַרנומען (engaged or preoccupied) · io okupata (doing a great deal) · sk zaneprázdnený (engaged or preoccupied) · lo ຫຍຸ້ງ (doing a great deal) · cmn 繁忙 (doing a great deal) · sv livlig (crowded with business or activities) · no opptatt (doing a great deal) · cs zaměstnaný (doing a great deal) · lv nodarbināts (doing a great deal) · ka დაკავებული (doing a great deal) · ms ramai (crowded with business or activities) · ug مەشغۇل (doing a great deal) · cs rušný (complicated) · ps بوخت (doing a great deal) · mn завгүй (doing a great deal) · sv flitig (doing a great deal) · tk meşgul (doing a great deal) · fi sekava (complicated) · hu kusza (complicated) · pt ocupado (engaged or preoccupied) · tl okupado (doing a great deal) · cdo 忙 (doing a great deal) · ps اخته (engaged or preoccupied) · it occupato (engaged or preoccupied) · sh prometan (doing a great deal) · bg деен (doing a great deal) · grc ἄσχολος (crowded with business or activities) · mi tāuteute (engaged or preoccupied) · es hasta las manos (doing a great deal) · sk činný (doing a great deal) · ga gnóthach (doing a great deal) · cmn 忙 (doing a great deal) · uz mashgʻul (doing a great deal) · ro harnic (doing a great deal) · nrf embarrassaï (doing a great deal) · nrf embarrassaï (engaged or preoccupied) · arz مشغول (doing a great deal) · hu tevékeny (doing a great deal) · it busy (engaged or preoccupied) · cs zaneprázděný (doing a great deal) · it occupato (doing a great deal) · cy prysur (doing a great deal) · ga broidiúil (crowded with business or activities) · ru за́нятый (doing a great deal) · bn মশগুল (doing a great deal) · uk за́йнятий (engaged or preoccupied) · sh наметљив (doing a great deal) · mi arokē (engaged or preoccupied) · es complicado (complicated) · id ramai (crowded with business or activities) · fr occupé (crowded with business or activities) · es bisi (crowded with business or activities) · bg зает (engaged or preoccupied) · pap okupá (doing a great deal) · hu dolgos (doing a great deal) · ur مشغول (doing a great deal) · uz band (crowded with business or activities) · la occupātus (doing a great deal) · hy զբաղված (doing a great deal) · pt movimentado (crowded with business or activities) · fi vilkas (crowded with business or activities) · pl zajęty (engaged or preoccupied) · pdt beschafticht (doing a great deal) · gl ocupado (engaged or preoccupied) · es hasta la huacha (doing a great deal) · hu elfoglalt (engaged or preoccupied) · fr occupé (doing a great deal) · pdt beschafticht (crowded with business or activities) · nl druk (complicated) · yue 唔得閒 /唔得闲 (crowded with business or activities) · el πολυάσχολος (doing a great deal) · grc ἐνεργός (engaged or preoccupied) · az məşğul (doing a great deal) · da travl (doing a great deal) · he עָסוּק (doing a great deal) · gd trang (doing a great deal) · ja 賑やか (crowded with business or activities) · de beschäftigt (doing a great deal) · br oberiant (engaged or preoccupied) · es atareado (engaged or preoccupied) · yue 唔得閒 /唔得闲 (doing a great deal) · ru за́нятый (engaged or preoccupied) · no opptatt (engaged or preoccupied) · sh zauzet (engaged or preoccupied) · yi פֿאַרנומען (doing a great deal) · ota دركار (engaged or preoccupied) · sv upptagen (engaged or preoccupied) · fy beset (doing a great deal) · es concurrido (crowded with business or activities) · lv aizņemts (crowded with business or activities) · oc ocupat (crowded with business or activities) · la occupātus (crowded with business or activities) · az əlində iş olan (doing a great deal) · uk за́йнята (engaged or preoccupied) · mi korewātea (engaged or preoccupied) · el πολυσύχναστος (crowded with business or activities) · sh прометан (doing a great deal) · hu “peak”) csúcs- (crowded with business or activities) · cy prysur (crowded with business or activities) · fa مشغول (doing a great deal) · hi मसरूफ़ (doing a great deal) · yue 忙 (doing a great deal) · es bisi (doing a great deal) · gd trang (crowded with business or activities) · bg за́ет (doing a great deal) · nl bezig (doing a great deal) · sco thrang (crowded with business or activities) · hu dolga van (engaged or preoccupied) · gl trang (doing a great deal) · cmn 忙 (crowded with business or activities) · uk за́йнятий (doing a great deal) · af besig (doing a great deal) · id sibuk (crowded with business or activities) · ko 바쁜 (doing a great deal) · pdt drock (crowded with business or activities) · sv jäktig (doing a great deal) · hu szorgalmas (doing a great deal) · eo homplena (crowded with business or activities) · tr meşgul (doing a great deal) · sl zaposlen (doing a great deal) · mi toritori (crowded with business or activities) · he עסוקה (doing a great deal) · la operosus (doing a great deal) · et toimekas (doing a great deal) · la celeber (crowded with business or activities) · hu serény (doing a great deal) · yue 忙 (crowded with business or activities) · ca ocupat (crowded with business or activities) · haw paʻahana (doing a great deal) · he עָמוּס (crowded with business or activities) · ru де́ятельный (doing a great deal) · es ocupado (crowded with business or activities) · fi varattu (engaged or preoccupied) · ota مشغول (crowded with business or activities) · es hasta las guachas (doing a great deal) · ja 繁華 (crowded with business or activities) · ug ئالدىراش (doing a great deal) · ps اخته (doing a great deal) · de besetzt (engaged or preoccupied) · ms sibuk (doing a great deal) · hu forgalmas (crowded with business or activities) · fa شلوغ (crowded with business or activities) · ru занято́й (doing a great deal) · ko 바쁘다 (doing a great deal) · de beschäftigt (engaged or preoccupied) · cmn 繁忙 (crowded with business or activities) · es ocupado (engaged or preoccupied) · bg оживен (crowded with business or activities) · vi bận rộn (doing a great deal) · oc ocupat (doing a great deal) · hu zsúfolt (complicated) · hu túlzsúfolt (complicated) · eo okupata (doing a great deal) · km រវីរវល់ (doing a great deal) · pdt drock (doing a great deal) · kum машгъул (doing a great deal) · vi bận (doing a great deal) · hu foglalt (engaged or preoccupied) · ota دركار (doing a great deal) · ba мәшғүл (doing a great deal) · sh nametljiv (doing a great deal) · hi व्यस्त (engaged or preoccupied) · lo ຄາວຽກ (doing a great deal) · it impegnato (engaged or preoccupied) · it indaffarato (crowded with business or activities) · ja 使用中 (doing a great deal) · ur مصروف (doing a great deal) · uz band (doing a great deal) · is upptekinn (doing a great deal) · pl zajęty (doing a great deal) · pl skomplikowany (complicated) · grc ἄσχολος (doing a great deal) · es ajetreado (engaged or preoccupied) · es ocupado (doing a great deal) · ar مَشْغُول (crowded with business or activities) · gl ocupado (crowded with business or activities) · lt užsiėmusiam (doing a great deal) · ang bisiġ (doing a great deal) · nl bezig (engaged or preoccupied) · ota مشغول (engaged or preoccupied) · hi व्यस्त (crowded with business or activities) · sw bizi (doing a great deal) · nl druk (crowded with business or activities)