busy

busy [biz′ē]

adj.

busier, busiest [ME busi < OE bisig, occupied, diligent; akin to Du bezig: seen only in LowG & E]

1. occupied in some activity; at work; not idle

2. full of activity; characterized by much action or motion

3.

a) in use at the moment, as a telephone line

b) indicating such use [the busy signal]

4. meddlesome

5. having so much detail, variety of color, etc. as to create a confusing, displeasing effect

vt.

busied, busying [ME busien < OE bisgian, to occupy, employ < bisgu, occupation, labor]

to make or keep busy: often used reflexively

busyness

n.

SYN.- 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 ] -ANT. IDLE, LAZY