busy Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. verb keep busy with
    occupy.
    • She busies herself with her butterfly collection
  2. adjective actively or fully engaged or occupied
    • busy with her work
    • a busy man
    • too busy to eat lunch
  3. adjective satellite overcrowded or cluttered with detail
    fussy.
    • a busy painting
    • a fussy design
  4. adjective satellite intrusive in a meddling or offensive manner
    officious; meddlesome; meddling; interfering; busybodied.
    • an interfering old woman
    • bustling about self-importantly making an officious nuisance of himself
    • busy about other people's business
  5. adjective satellite crowded with or characterized by much activity
    • a very busy week
    • a busy life
    • a busy street
    • a busy seaport
  6. adjective satellite (of facilities such as telephones or lavatories) unavailable for use by anyone else or indicating unavailability; (`engaged' is a British term for a busy telephone line)
    engaged; in use.
    • her line is busy
    • receptionists' telephones are always engaged
    • the lavatory is in use
    • kept getting a busy signal

WordNet

Bus"y adjective
Etymology
OE. busi, bisi, AS. bysig; akin to D. bezig, LG. besig; cf. Skr. bhsh to be active, busy.
Definitions
  1. Engaged in some business; hard at work (either habitually or only for the time being); occupied with serious affairs; not idle nor at leisure; as, a busy merchant.
    Sir, my mistress sends you word THat she is busy, and she can not come. Shak.
  2. Constantly at work; diligent; active.
    Busy hammers closing rivets up. Shak.
    Religious motives . . . are so busy in the heart. Addison.
  3. Crowded with business or activities; -- said of places and times; as, a busy street.
    To-morrow is a busy day. Shak.
  4. Officious; meddling; foolish active.
    On meddling monkey, or on busy ape. Shak.
  5. Careful; anxious. Obs. Chaucer. Syn. -- Diligent; industrious; assiduous; active; occupied; engaged.
Bus"y transitive verb
Etymology
AS. bysgian.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Busied present participle & verbal noun Busying
Definitions
  1. To make or keep busy; to employ; to engage or keep engaged; to occupy; as, to busy one's self with books.
    Be it thy course to busy giddy minds With foreign quarrels. Shak.

Webster 1913