adj., v., & n.
adj. (busier, busiest) 1 (often foll. by in, with, at, or pres. part.) occupied or engaged in work etc. with the attention concentrated (busy at their needlework; he was busy packing). 2 full of activity or detail; fussy (a busy evening; a picture busy with detail). 3 employed continuously; unresting (busy as a bee). 4 meddlesome; prying. 5 esp. US (of a telephone line) engaged.
v.tr. (-ies, -ied) (often refl.) keep busy; occupy (the work busied him for many hours; busied herself with the accounts).
n. (pl. -ies) sl. a detective; a policeman. busy Lizzie a house-plant, Impatiens Walleriana, with usu. toothed leaves and pendulous flowers. busily adv. busyness n. (cf. BUSINESS).
[ OE bisig ]