1. Word finder
  2. Word definitions
  3. busy

Find the word definition

What is "busy"

Crossword clues for busy

busy
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
busy
I.adjective
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES
a busy port
▪ Hong Kong is one of the world’s busiest ports.
a busy/hectic lifestyle
▪ Many people these days have a busy lifestyle.
busy Lizzie
busy schedule
▪ How can he fit everything into his busy schedule?
busy
▪ The motorway is always busy around Birmingham.
busy (=with a lot of traffic)
▪ The children have to cross a busy road to get to school.
busy (=with a lot of traffic or people)
▪ The house faces onto a busy street.
busy/bustling
▪ The town was busy even in November.
far too much/long/busy etc
▪ That’s far too much to pay.
▪ It would take me far too long to explain.
keep sb busy/amused/occupied
▪ some toys to keep the kids amused
lead a normal/quiet/busy etc life
▪ If the operation succeeds, Carly will be able to lead a normal life.
▪ He has led a charmed life been very fortunate.
the line is busy (=someone is already using it)
▪ I’m sorry, the line is busy.
the phone is busy (also the phone is engaged British English) (= the person you are calling is already speaking to someone else)
▪ I tried you earlier, but your phone was engaged.
COLLOCATIONS FROM CORPUS
■ ADVERB
always
▪ The Aladdin was always busy, and employed three full-time barmen.
▪ Pauline is always busy breeding new machines so that the ecology of the circus keeps evolving.
▪ She was always busy - I've got seven sisters and three brothers.
▪ His hands are always busy and his mouth never stops.
▪ He has his day off in the middle of the week because we are always busy at the weekends.
▪ People are always busy, like the flies and ants.
▪ It was called the Swan and was always busy.
as
▪ Even without tolls, country roads are likely to be three times as busy in 2025 as they are today.
▪ Not that he had much free time, for he kept himself as busy as ever in the district.
▪ Keep as busy as possible today and remember to hold yourself up, tucking your bottom under and pulling your tummy in.
▪ So far 1991 looks to be as busy as last year with two or three performances booked for almost every weekend.
▪ He says things have been getting more busy but it's still not as busy as it was last year.
▪ The waiter flurried between them, as busy as if the room were full.
▪ For the rest, the two goalkeepers were as busy as bookends.
extremely
▪ Especially when the traffic towards the city was probably extremely busy.
▪ We were extremely busy from the start.
▪ The head-teacher is extremely busy preparing for a meeting.
▪ The department is extremely busy and all existing machine and labour capacity is fully occupied.
▪ They get extremely busy pre- Christmas, so it fits in well.
so
▪ He'd been so busy that afternoon that he'd completely forgotten to call her.
▪ At dinner parties, people were so busy chewing there was scarcely time for conversation.
▪ Richard Dreyfuss is so busy, he hired his own full-time political consultant.
▪ I was so busy with the orchard business I really didn't have any time to have any more.
▪ Services in Derbyshire were so busy that they needed to call for assistance from neighbouring Nottinghamshire.
▪ He's been so busy catching murderers we've hardly seen each other for three weeks.
▪ Not that we had much time for feeling anything, we were so busy in the Met Office just then.
still
▪ Giving the still busy Josh a parting wave, the two of them started back.
▪ My life was still busy from morning to night.
▪ James Kelly: His pen is still busy, his eye for the news as discerning as ever.
▪ So quickly that she could scarcely credit it, they emerged into a well-lit square where several open-air cafés were still busy.
▪ And even after we spent the night together you were still busy distrusting me.
▪ A year after the Darlington Help Furniture project was launched, volunteer workers are still busy organising furniture switches throughout the town.
▪ It was still busy at eight in the evening.
▪ And Cymbeline - bless her heart - is down by the fence, still busy making tea for the workers.
too
▪ He was too busy thinking of the possible ramifications of a jumpy Grand Duke imagining every bush a Nihilist bear.
▪ We were too busy admiring the town to let their griping bother us.
▪ Elizabeth: Well, I'd always been a bit too busy - and clever!
▪ But Dad said they were too busy to spare him; told him to wait a few days.
▪ I've been too busy auditioning.
▪ My life, as usual, is too busy, too near chaos.
▪ The horses did not get breakfast that morning: everyone was too busy.
▪ The faculty were too busy trying to be great men rather than great professors.
very
▪ Well yes, Angie had been very busy and preoccupied with the wedding preparations, naturally, but she had been happy.
▪ He was very busy but he was prepared to see me because Lynda had recommended me.
▪ Yet on very busy days the students will be under stress and unable to concentrate on learning new skills.
▪ Alas, this is a very busy morning.
▪ The two solicitors had been very busy dashing round Orkney gathering character witnesses.
▪ Everyone is great looking and very, very busy.
▪ But I had a very busy day.
▪ Luckily Jean was very busy at work, and that provided a distraction.
■ NOUN
day
▪ Yet on very busy days the students will be under stress and unable to concentrate on learning new skills.
▪ Gon na be a busy day tomorrow.
▪ And it's such a busy day for trains.
▪ Genest still had a busy day working.
▪ Princess Diana spent a busy day in Tyne and Wear as scheduled.
▪ It must have been a busy day, Trevor; you sound tense.
▪ It appears she'd been unlucky to choose a particularly busy day.
▪ They had yet another stop in a busy day of retail politicking.
life
▪ He now leads a busy life as an honorary chaplain in York Minster.
▪ Alvin moved back immediately into the busy life of rehearsing and teaching at Clark Center.
▪ She loved him so much, and to realise that she was only an episode in his busy life was bitter indeed.
▪ With the move to New York and her busy life, Sam hardly got to see her.
▪ This means that there is no need for the barrenness of a busy life.
▪ If you lead a hectic and busy life, you may find that your stomach is affected.
▪ His desk may be tidy but the drawers are bulging with bits and bobs that reveal a busy life.
▪ She ran the village shop, and hers was a busy life indeed.
making
▪ Tents had gone up and the temporary occupants were busy making themselves at home.
▪ Meanwhile the campaigners are busy making protest banners.
▪ They are too busy making money to worry about paying bills. 8.
▪ She's too busy making arrangements to leave for Bristol to worry about us.
▪ And Cymbeline - bless her heart - is down by the fence, still busy making tea for the workers.
▪ Too busy making a dead set at young Mr Merrivale.
▪ She went to the kitchen, where the dedicated housekeeper was busy making batches of tiny delicacies for tomorrow's drinks.
▪ Most were writing up reports between assignments, or busy making arrangements by telephone.
man
▪ He's such a busy man.
▪ The Comandante is a busy man.
▪ Among the many fictions maintained in ffeatherstonehaugh's was that committee members were busy men.
▪ I felt embarrassed to ask this busy man for an appointment.
▪ Great-Grandfather was running a farm at the same time, so he must have been a very busy man.
▪ He's a busy man, with a demanding career.
▪ But he's a busy man, with a lot of interests.
▪ But then, they are such busy men, they rush away.
people
▪ Paging from Vodapage gives busy people like you the freedom to go about your business and get the message.
▪ Personnel managers and employers are busy people and do not have time to wade through a thirty page resume.
▪ As we are all busy people we might not have time to repeat the picture on to a larger surface.
▪ Jones knew how little time busy people have to pay their bills or keep their finances in order.
▪ Many busy people will appreciate a responsible person exercising their horses.
▪ Without ceremony, we headed past all these busy people and knocked on the half-open door of the secretary's office.
▪ Microwaves have been adopted by busy people up and down the country.
▪ It should be recognised that, in general, it will be read by busy people and therefore should be concise.
road
▪ Read in studio Finally, traffic on a busy road was brought to a standstill this afternoon ... by a train.
▪ It's amazing how many schools that front busy roads have name boards but no notice boards.
▪ My grandparents' village was a small place off the main road, away from busy roads and with no mains services.
▪ The gates led right on to a busy road, there were some derelict public loos next door and a boating lake opposite.
▪ You must also choose an area where there is little traffic, with no busy roads nearby.
▪ He stepped on to the busy road and dragged badly injured Scott clear of the traffic.
▪ For this reason, start by choosing a relatively quiet environment rather than a busy road.
▪ Standard rooms overlook a busy road but those with sea view are quieter.
schedule
▪ I have a busy schedule for the next few days, so I may not be in touch.
▪ They were both flying and had very busy schedules.
▪ David never missed a training session, seminar or meeting, he always managed to fit everything into his busy schedule.
▪ Dennis had a very busy schedule with all of these commitments.
▪ Coincidentally, I had a very busy schedule as Foreign Secretary at that time.
▪ He had to rely on the busy schedules of Brooks and his busy grad students.
▪ You can't fit me into your busy schedule.
▪ They visit Twickenham on November 14 as part of a busy schedule that follows rugby reunification between the races.
signal
▪ No busy signals, paper jams, or failed attempts.
▪ The busy signal, he saw now, had not been arbitrary.
▪ Again, the Brapid busy signal that meant no connection.
▪ All three dialed up without encountering any busy signals when tested Thursday morning.
▪ Many of its 8 million members get busy signals when they try to connect.
▪ He thought I was home, but all he got was a busy signal.
▪ But most people found only busy signals, as structural damage and call volume overwhelmed local phone systems.
▪ For many who use e-mail in their businesses, the busy signals are more than an inconvenience.
street
▪ Do children have to cross a busy street to get to it?
▪ So they reached the city without interference and walked unnoticed through the busy streets.
▪ For the last couple of weeks, I had two posters in my windows, facing on to a fairly busy street.
▪ Puffs of hardened car exhaust linger in the air on busy streets.
▪ The smell of stewed eels streams from a steaming vat into the busy street.
▪ No one bothers us as we walk through the busy streets.
▪ Far ahead he could see a sloping ramp that led up to a wide mouth gaping into a busy street.
time
▪ It's a busy time on the Mersey for sea anglers as the winter whiting and cod come within casting range.
▪ Besides, December is a very busy time.
▪ Production is now in full swing - a busy time on the road to success.
▪ This was a busy time of day for the hot line people.
▪ At busy times, 100 or more fishing boats often work in the area.
▪ July is a busy time of preparation!
▪ The tolls are likely to be restricted to particularly congested areas, and busy times such as rush hours.
PHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
a busy bee
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
▪ a busy airport
▪ a busy freeway
▪ Angela was becoming more and more unhappy, but her husband was too busy to notice.
▪ Critics say the mayor is too busy campaigning to do his job properly.
▪ Even though it was eight o'clock the market was still busy.
▪ He's retired now, but his work for the youth club keeps him busy.
▪ I'm going to bed. We have a busy day ahead of us tomorrow.
▪ I'm kind of busy now, can I call you back?
▪ I've been trying to call the customer helpline, but all I'm getting is a busy signal.
▪ I called Mom again, but it was still busy.
▪ It's busy. I'll call again later.
▪ July is our busiest month, when all the tourists come.
▪ Not now Stephen, I'm busy.
▪ Paris nowadays is a busy and crowded metropolis.
▪ Restaurant managers often employ temporary staff at busy times of the year.
▪ She's a busy mother of four with a full time job.
▪ She's very busy -- it's her daughter's wedding next week.
▪ She tried to call Lisa, but the phone was busy.
EXAMPLES FROM CORPUS
▪ Boots' progress was accompanied by a variety of stories as in often busy trading the shares gained 9p to 294p.
▪ Everyone else was busy, so I launched the small rubber dinghy and started rowing.
▪ I decided I would urge her to take some time off, what with the busy holiday season looming ahead.
▪ In the words of one interviewee: You're just too busy.
▪ Its 77 buildings containing 430 apartments are laid out in drab-looking rows along busy Van Nuys Boulevard.
▪ Richards came back and signalled clearly, but Tribe was busy with his gun again.
▪ They pretty much run the place themselves, relying on occasional help only on busy weekends.
▪ They were too busy taking money out.
II.verb
COLLOCATIONS FROM CORPUS
■ ADVERB
too
▪ Far too busy for feeling sorry.
▪ The rest of the group had been too busy out enjoying themselves to think about the potential consequences of Leila's absence.
■ NOUN
day
▪ Anyway, I'd been very busy the day before and Doreen had irritated me for other reasons.
▪ Norm was very busy these days, and often did not come home for dinner.
▪ They were both busy all day apart from meal breaks and it was not easy to get Vi on her own.
▪ Getting to know Mr Rochester Thornfield Hall became quite busy the next day, now that the master had returned.
▪ I've been very busy these last few days.
▪ The courtship, territory-defending days have given way to busy days of food-seeking and brood-raising.
keep
▪ Viewed that way, New Zealand has a lively industry that keeps actors busy.
EXAMPLES FROM CORPUS
▪ However, she took Tom's advice and busied herself preparing for Anna's wedding day.
▪ I was not prepared to contemplate such an inconvenient find, so I busied myself elsewhere.
▪ So we busy ourselves about the house or go on holiday in much the same way as we do our jobs.
▪ Two days before the opening Soo stayed in the shop and busied herself with white paint and a large board.
▪ While Steve was busying himself John asked him about the bridge and the strange feeling in the cutting.
Related phrases:
The Collaborative International Dictionary
Busy

Busy \Bus"y\ (b[i^]z"z[y^]), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Busied (b[i^]z"z[i^]d); p. pr. & vb. n. Busying.] [AS. bysgian.] 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.

Busy

Busy \Bus"y\ (b[i^]z"z[y^]), a. [OE. busi, bisi, AS. bysig; akin to D. bezig, LG. besig; cf. Skr. bh[=u]sh to be active, busy.]

  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.

Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
busy

Old English bisig "careful, anxious," later "continually employed or occupied," cognate with Old Dutch bezich, Low German besig; no known connection with any other Germanic or Indo-European language. Still pronounced as in Middle English, but for some unclear reason the spelling shifted to -u- in 15c.\n

\nThe notion of "anxiousness" has drained from the word since Middle English. Often in a bad sense in early Modern English, "prying, meddlesome" (preserved in busybody). The word was a euphemism for "sexually active" in 17c. Of telephone lines, 1893. Of display work, "excessively detailed, visually cluttered," 1903.

busy

late Old English bisgian, from busy (adj.). Related: Busied; busying.

Wiktionary
busy

  1. 1 Crowded with business or activities; having a great deal going on. 2 engaged in another activity or by someone else. 3 Having a lot going on; complicated or intricate. 4 Officious; meddling. n. (context slang UK Liverpool derogatory English) A police officer. v

  2. 1 (context transitive English) To make somebody '''busy''', to keep busy with, to occupy, to make occupied. 2 (context transitive English) To rush somebody.

Related phrases:
WordNet
busy

  1. adj. actively or fully engaged or occupied; "busy with her work"; "a busy man"; "too busy to eat lunch"; "the line is busy" [ant: idle]

  2. overcrowded or cluttered with detail; "a busy painting"; "a fussy design" [syn: fussy]

  3. intrusive in a meddling or offensive manner; "an interfering old woman"; "bustling about self-importantly making an officious nuisance of himself"; "busy about other people's business" [syn: interfering, meddlesome, meddling, officious, busybodied]

  4. crowdedwith or characterized by much activity; "a very busy week"; "a busy life"; "a busy street"; "a busy seaport"

  5. (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); "her line is busy"; "receptionists' telephones are always engaged"; "the lavatory is in use"; "kept getting a busy signal" [syn: engaged, in use(p)]

  6. [also: busied, busiest, busier]

busy

  1. v. keep busy with; "She busies herself with her butterfly collection" [syn: occupy]

  2. [also: busied, busiest, busier]

Related phrases:
Wikipedia
Busy (musician)

Bradford Keith Johnson, Jr. (born March 22, 1984) is an electronic musician from Maryland known by the stage name Busy.

Busy (Lyfe Jennings song)

"Busy" is the first single released from Lyfe Jennings' fourth album I Still Believe. on February 23, 2010. Busy reached number 39 on the Billboard R&B/hip hop charts.

Busy (Olly Murs song)

"Busy" is a song performed by British singer-songwriter Olly Murs, taken from his debut studio album, Olly Murs. It was written by Murs, Adam Argyle, Martin Brammer, and was released as the fourth and final single from the album on 27 May 2011. It was his second, and last single to date, to not be accompanied by a physical CD single. The song was Murs' first and so far only single release to fail to reach the UK Top 40.

Related phrases:

Usage examples of "busy".

The common man, busied about his petty concerns, did not know nor think about collective affairs because at the time there existed no knowledge or ordered thought in an assimilable form to reach down and stimulate his mind.

When he and Tamora had been ambushed at the Gate of Double Glory, or when he and Eliphas had been chased by the hell-hound, he had been too busy trying to save his life to feel real fear.

MATEKONI was busy at lunchtime, taking the remaining apprentice off with him to deal with a breakdown out on the Molepolole Road.

They obeyed immediately, Assh surreptitiously trotting ahead and busying himself sniffing amongst the piles of refuse that lined the street, and Frey dropping back and crossing to the other side to do the same.

The Colonel turned away, and the only sound was that of Barnacle, with his busy broom, up above.

Still, as the human bartender bustled through the busy streets, sun hood up, squinting, he was bothered by that droid who had accosted him.

Two lights flashed from different parts of the hills above Bassin du Sud, and he was busy with straight-edge and slide rule for a moment.

She could read, write, walk, busy herself with stitchery, play at battledore and shuttlecock with Torquil, or loiter her time away.

Just in Paris had as a matter of fact astonished de Batz not a little, and had set his intriguing brain busy on conjectures.

Philadelphia, at Marcus Hook, on the busy Delaware river where the ships of the world are being made, the Benzol Products Company turns out large quantities of aniline oil.

Bland were under discussion, Bland himself was busy with his trousers, which were showing an alarming inclination to make startling revelations.

May, when Blas toiled in the field busy with his ploughing, a prosperous-looking stranger came striding down upon him wearing a black face.

Bistari two days earlier, Brail too would have been busy with the celebration.

When this pious duty was performed, both the Bravo and Gelsomina busied themselves a little time in contributing to the bodily comforts of the prisoner, and then they departed in company.

She tuned her gitar and began to rehearse the Brekke song, softly lest the Harper was busy in his rooms.