busy

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   Having a lot to do; actively working on something.

   I'm too busy to talk right now.

2. 2
   adj

   Full of activity or people.

   The shopping mall is always busy on weekends.

3. 3
   adj

   (of a phone line) already in use by someone else.

   I tried to call her, but the line was busy.

4. 4
   adj

   Having too much detail and looking cluttered.

   The wallpaper pattern was too busy for such a small room.

5. 5
   verb

   To keep yourself or someone occupied with an activity.

   She busied herself with cleaning the kitchen.

Common collocations

• busy day Adjective + noun
• busy street Adjective + noun
• busy road Adjective + noun
• busy station Adjective + noun
• busy weekend Adjective + noun

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.

Topics

External links

• Cambridge Dictionary
• Wiktionary
• Google Images