busy

 
Pronunciation: /ˈbɪzi/

adjective (busier, busiest)

  • 1having a great deal to do: he had been too busy to enjoy himself
  • occupied with or concentrating on a particular activity or object of attention: the team members are busy raising money
  • (of a time or place) full of activity: the busy city streets I’ve had a busy day
  • chiefly North American (of a telephone line) engaged.
  • 2excessively detailed or decorated: the lavish set designs are a little too busy

verb (busies, busying, busied)

(busy oneself)
  • keep oneself occupied: she busied herself with her new home

noun

(also bizzy) (plural busies or bizzies) British informal
  • a police officer: I was picked up by the busies for possession

Phrases

get busy

  • 1begin work or tasks that need to be done: this meeting is dismissed—let’s get busy, people
  • 2 informal have sexual intercourse.

Derivatives

busyness

Pronunciation: /ˈbɪzɪnɪs/
noun

Origin:

Old English bisgian (verb), bisig (noun); related to Dutch bezig, of unknown origin

Spelling rule

If a word ends in a consonant plus -y, change the -y to an -i before adding any ending (unless the ending already begins with an -i): (busier, busiest).