Definition of 'busy'
Word forms: comparative busier
, superlative busiest
, 3rd person singular present
tense busies
, present participle busying
, past tense, past participle busied
1. adjective [oft ADJ v-ing]
When you are busy, you are working hard or concentrating on a task, so that you are not free to do anything else.
What is it? I'm busy.
They are busy preparing for a hectic day's activity on Saturday.
Rachel said she would be too busy to come.
Phil Martin is an exceptionally busy man.
2. adjective [usually ADJECTIVE noun]
3. adjective [verb-link ADJECTIVE, oft ADJ -ing]
If you say that someone is busy thinking or worrying about something, you mean that it is taking all their attention, often to such an extent that they are unable to think about anything else.
I'm so busy worrying about all the wrong things that I'm not focusing on the right
ones.
Most people are too busy with their own troubles to give much help. [+ with]
4. verb
He busied himself with the camera. [VERB pronoun-reflexive + with]
She busied herself getting towels ready. [V pron-refl v-ing]
For a while Kathryn busied herself in the kitchen. [VERB pronoun-reflexive]
5. adjective
A busy place is full of people who are doing things or moving about.
The Strand is one of London's busiest and most affluent streets.
The ward was busy and Amy hardly had time to talk.
6. adjective [usually verb-link ADJECTIVE]
7. See also busily
COBUILD Advanced English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Video: pronunciation of 'busy'
adjectiveWord forms: busier or busiest
5.
verbWord forms: busies, busying or busied
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Derived forms
noun
Word origin of 'busy'
adjectiveWord forms: ˈbusier or ˈbusiest
1.
occupied in some activity; at work; not idle
2.
full of activity; characterized by much action or motion
4.
meddlesome
verb transitiveWord forms: ˈbusied or ˈbusying
SYNONYMY NOTE: busy suggests active employment in some task or activity, either temporarily or habitually
[I'm busy just now]; industrious suggests habitual devotion to one's work or activity [an industrious salesclerk]; diligent implies unremitting attention, usually to a particular task, and connotes enjoyment
in the task itself [a diligent student of music]; assiduous suggests painstaking, persevering preoccupation with some task [assiduous study]; sedulous implies unremitting devotion to a task until the goal is reached [a sedulous investigation of the crime]6.
to make or keep busy
often used reflexively OPPOSITES: idle, lazy
Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
Derived forms
noun
Word origin of 'busy'
Example sentences containing 'busy'
These examples have been automatically selected and may contain sensitive content.
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The fact the exercise is a short burst really fit into my busy life. The Sun (2016)But they split three months ago due to their busy schedules. The Sun (2016)The man himself will have no trouble keeping busy. Times, Sunday Times (2016)This is intended to speed up sales processing and provide better service online regardless of demand peaks during busy trading periods. Computing (2010)He was looked after impeccably, he was always busy and his hair was always brushed. Times, Sunday Times (2016)You could see he was good, but people were busy thinking of what they had lost. Times, Sunday Times (2016)Rooms for three to 12 hours are available during less busy times. The Sun (2016)Some lines are busy express routes, others are branch lines that have barely any traffic. Times, Sunday Times (2016)It's a perfect place to lay your head after a busy day playing. The Sun (2016)Armed police line both sides of the busy street that leads to the Interlagos track - but teams are taking no chances. The Sun (2016)She has a busy life and we provide her with solutions for that life. Times, Sunday Times (2015)The married father of three says he finds time in his busy schedule to play village cricket. Times, Sunday Times (2012)The temporary exhibitions are always busiest and usually cost. Times, Sunday Times (2015)He is always busy looking to make you progress. The Sun (2007)You know there are busy times ahead so you need to be mentally and physically prepared. The Sun (2015)But spring is an exceptionally busy time in the garden. Times, Sunday Times (2016)When are the busy and slack periods for the potential trainees? Personnel Management: A New Approach (1991)What else will be keeping you busy over the summer months? The Sun (2011)Do we need any of that in a busy world with crowded court calendars? Exploring language (6th edn) (1995)The idea was to help busy people to build exercise into the working day. Times, Sunday Times (2008)Who has the space in their busy kitchens for special recycling units? The Sun (2007) Life may be busy but it is clear she knows how to stay ahead of the game. The Sun (2014)Take some time out of your busy schedule to work out what you really want from life. The Sun (2015)It was to be one of the busiest days in the store for a long time to come. THE LAST OF THE GENTLEMEN ADVENTURERS: Coming of Age in the Arctic (2004)We had become too important and too busy to come back for three months and work out new inventions. Infinite in All Directions (1989)The previous shop was always deserted - the new shop is always busy. Times, Sunday Times (2006)Cyber Monday was expected to be the busiest online shopping day on record. Times, Sunday Times (2013)The programme will probably keep radio phone-in lines busy today on the rights and wrongs of wrinkly parents. Times, Sunday Times (2010)Yesterday's boom in activity followed the busiest week on record for M&A last week. Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Trends of 'busy'
Very Common. busy is one of the 4000 most commonly used words in the Collins dictionary
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Translations for 'busy'
British English: busy
/ˈbɪzɪ/ ADJECTIVE
person If you are busy, you have a lot of things to do.
We were busy cleaning the house.
- American English: busy
- Arabic: مَشْغول
- Brazilian Portuguese: ocupado
- Chinese: 忙碌的
- Croatian: zaposlen
- Czech: zaneprázdněný
- Danish: travl
- Dutch: druk actief
- European Spanish: ocupado
- Finnish: kiireinen
- French: occupé
- German: beschäftigt
- Greek: απασχολημένος
- Italian: occupato
- Japanese: 忙しい
- Korean: 바쁜
- Norwegian: opptatt
- Polish: zajęty
- European Portuguese: ocupado
- Romanian: ocupat
- Russian: занятой
- Spanish: ocupado
- Swedish: upptagen
- Thai: ยุ่งวุ่นวาย
- Turkish: meşgul
- Ukrainian: зайнятий
- Vietnamese: bận rộn
British English: busy /ˈbɪzɪ/ ADJECTIVE
place A busy place is full of people.
The shops are busy today.
- American English: busy
- Arabic: مُزْدَحِم
- Brazilian Portuguese: lotado
- Chinese: 熙攘的
- Croatian: prepun
- Czech: rušný
- Danish: travl
- Dutch: druk
- European Spanish: lleno
- Finnish: tungokseen asti täysi
- French: comble
- German: betriebsam
- Greek: γεμάτος
- Italian: pieno
- Japanese: 混雑した
- Korean: 붐비는
- Norwegian: travel
- Polish: zatłoczony
- European Portuguese: cheio
- Romanian: aglomerat
- Russian: многолюдный
- Spanish: concurrido
- Swedish: full
- Thai: จอแจ พลุกพล่าน
- Turkish: kalabalık
- Ukrainian: заповнений
- Vietnamese: đông
British English: busy VERB
If you busy yourself with something, you occupy yourself by dealing with it.
He busied himself with the camera.
- American English: busy
- Brazilian Portuguese: ocupar-se
- Chinese: 使忙于
- European Spanish: entretenerse (con algo)
- French: s'occuper
- German: sich beschäftigen
- Italian: occupare
- Japanese: 忙しくする
- Korean: ~하느라 바쁘다
- European Portuguese: ocupar-se
- Spanish: entretenerse(con algo)
Nearby words of 'busy'
Related Terms of 'busy'
Source
Definition of busy from the
Collins English Dictionary
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