busy
If you are busy, you are working hard, or giving your attention to a particular thing
پرمشغله
Mr. Simpson is so busy.
آقای سیمپسون بسیار پرمشغله است.
Oxford Essential Dictionary
busy
adjective (busier, busiest)
1 with a lot of things that you must do; working or not free:
Mr Jones can't see you now – he's busy.
2 with a lot of things happening:
I had a busy morning.
The shops are always busy at Christmas.
3 (used about a telephone) being used same meaning engaged:
The line is busy – I'll try again later.
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
busy
I. bus‧y1 S1 W2 /ˈbɪzi/ BrE AmE adjective (comparative busier, superlative busiest)
[Language: Old English; Origin: bisig]
1. PERSON if you are busy, you are working hard and have a lot of things to do:
She’s busy now – can you phone later?
a busy mother of four
busy with
Mr Haynes is busy with a customer at the moment.
busy doing something
Rachel’s busy studying for her exams.
There were lots of activities to keep the kids busy.
2. TIME a busy period of time is full of work or other activities:
December is the busiest time of year for shops.
a busy day
He took time out of his busy schedule to visit us.
3. PLACE a busy place is very full of people or vehicles and movement:
We live on a very busy road.
4.TELEPHONE especially American English if a telephone you are calling is busy, it makes a repeated sound to tell you that the person you are calling is talking on their telephone SYN engaged British English:
I called Sonya, but her line was busy.
I keep getting a busy signal.
5. PATTERN a pattern or design that is busy is too full of small details – used to show disapproval
• • •
THESAURUS
■ person
▪ busy if you are busy, you have a lot of things you need to do: Sorry I haven’t called you, but I’ve been really busy. | a busy housewife | Angela was becoming more and more unhappy, but her husband was too busy to notice. | Not now Stephen, I’m busy. | Alex is busy studying for his exams.
▪ rushed/run off your feet [not before noun] especially British English spoken very busy and in a hurry, because you have too many things to do: We’ve been absolutely rushed off our feet getting ready for our son’s birthday party.
▪ snowed under [not before noun] especially British English so busy that you can hardly deal with all the work you have to do: I can’t stop for lunch today – I’m completely snowed under. | We’ve been snowed under with applications for the job.
▪ up to your ears/neck in something [not before noun] informal extremely busy because you have a lot of work to deal with: Teachers say they are up to their ears in paperwork and don’t have enough time for teaching.
▪ tied up [not before noun] busy in your job, so that you cannot do anything else: I’m sorry, but he’s tied up at the moment. Could you call back later? | I can’t see you tomorrow: I’m tied up all day.
▪ have a lot to do especially spoken to have to do a lot of things, so that you need to hurry or work hard: Let’s get started – we have a lot to do.
▪ have a lot on British English, have a lot going on American English especially spoken to be busy, especially because you have arranged to do a lot of things during a particular period: I’ve got a lot on this weekend. | He says he’ll try and see you as soon as possible, but he has a lot going on this afternoon.
■ time
▪ busy use this about times when you have a lot of things you need to do: We have a busy day ahead of us tomorrow. | July and August are our busiest times.
▪ hectic a hectic time or situation is extremely busy, so that you are always in a hurry and often feel excited or worried: It was really hectic at work today. | The band had a hectic recording schedule.
▪ the rush hour the time in the morning and evening when a lot of people are travelling to or from work: The buses are so crowded during the rush hour you never get a seat. | In most British cities the rush hour does not start until about 8 o'clock.
Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary
busy
busy [busy busies busied busying busier busiest] adjective, verb [ˈbɪzi] [ˈbɪzi]
adjective (busier, busi·est)
DOING STH
1. having a lot to do; perhaps not free to do sth else because you are working on sth
• Are you busy tonight?
• I'm afraid the doctor is busy at the moment. Can he call you back?
• I'll be too busy to come to the meeting.
• The principal is a very busy woman.
• She was always too busy to listen.
• a very busy life
• ~ with sth/sb Kate's busy with her homework.
2. ~ (doing sth) spending a lot of time on sth
• James is busy practising for the school concert.
• Let's get busy with the clearing up.
• They were busy enjoying themselves at the party.
PLACE
3. full of people, activity, vehicles, etc
• a busy main road
• Victoria is one of London's busiest stations.
PERIOD OF TIME
4. full of work and activity
• Have you had a busy day?
• This is one of the busiest times of the year for the department.
• We had a busy weekend lined up.
TELEPHONE
5. (especially NAmE) being used
Syn: engaged
• The line is busy— I'll try again later.
• the busy signal
PATTERN/DESIGN
6. too full of small details
• This wallpaper is too busy for the bedroom.
Word Origin:
Old English bisgian (verb), bisig (noun); related to Dutch bezig, of unknown origin.
Thesaurus:
busy adj.
1.
• The principal is a very busy man.
active • • hard-pressed • • occupied • • at work • • involved • |formal engaged •
busy/occupied/involved with sth
active/occupied/involved/engaged in sth
keep sb busy/active/occupied/involved
2.
• a busy airport
crowded • • full • • packed • • crammed • |approving lively • |approving, written bustling • • vibrant • |disapproving overcrowded • • congested •
busy/crowded/packed/crammed/bustling with people
a/an busy/crowded/lively/bustling/overcrowded place/town/market/bar
the place/town/market/bar is full/packed
3.
• a busy time of year
hectic • • full • • eventful •
Opp: quiet
a/an busy/hectic/full/eventful day/weekend/week/life
a/an busy/hectic/full programme/schedule/timetable
Busy, hectic or full? Busy is the most general of these words. Full often describes a period of time, especially sb's life, that is busy in a good way. Hectic usually describes a period of time or an activity that is too busy.
Collocations:
Phones
Making and receiving phone calls
the phone/telephone rings
answer/pick up/hang up the phone/telephone
lift/pick up/hold/replace the receiver
dial a (phone/extension/wrong) number/an area code
call sb/talk (to sb)/speak (to sb) on the phone/telephone; from home/work/the office
make/get/receive a phone call
take the phone off the hook (= remove the receiver so that the phone does not ring)
the line is (BrE) engaged/ (especially NAmE) busy
the phones have been (NAmE) ringing off the hook (= ringing frequently)
put sb through/get through to the person you want to speak to
put sb on hold (= so that they must wait for the person they want to speak to)
call from/use a landline
Mobile/cell phones
be/talk on a (both BrE) mobile phone/mobile/(especially NAmE) cell phone/(informal, especially NAmE) cell
use/answer/call (sb on)/get a message on your mobile phone/mobile/cell phone/cell
switch/turn on/off your mobile phone/mobile/cell phone/cell
charge/recharge your mobile phone/mobile/cell phone/cell
a mobile/cell phone is on/is off/rings/goes off
(BrE) top up your mobile (phone)
send/receive a text (message)/an SMS (message)/a fax
insert/remove/change a SIM card
Example Bank:
• I've got enough work to keep you busy.
• She needed to keep busy.
• She was busy with her make-up.
• Have you had a busy day?
• I'm afraid the doctor is busy at the moment. Can he call you back?
• Let's get busy with the clearing up.
• Victoria is one of London's busiest stations.
• We have to cross a busy main road to get to school.
Idioms: as busy as a bee ▪ keep yourself busy
Derived Word: busily
Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary
Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary - 4th Edition
busy / ˈbɪz.i / adjective (DOING THINGS)
A2 If you are busy, you are working hard, or giving your attention to a particular thing:
Mum was busy in the kitchen.
The kids are busy with their homework.
She's busy writ ing out the wedding invitations.
I've got plenty of jobs to keep you busy.
He was too busy talking to notice us come in.
A1 A busy place is full of activity or people:
a busy restaurant
Their house is near a very busy road.
A2 In a busy period, you have a lot of things to do:
I've got a busy week ahead of me.
Have a rest - you've had a busy day.
( UK also engaged ) If a phone line is busy, someone is using it:
I tried calling you but the line was busy.
busy / ˈbɪz.i / adjective disapproving (WITH PATTERNS)
having too much decoration or too many colours:
The jacket was a bit busy for my tastes - I'd prefer something a bit plainer.
© Cambridge University Press 2013
Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary
busy
/bɪzi/
(busier, busiest, busies, busying, busied)
Frequency: The word is one of the 3000 most common words in English.
1.
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.
ADJ
2.
A busy time is a period of time during which you have a lot of things to do.
It’ll have to wait. This is our busiest time...
Even with her busy schedule she finds time to watch TV...
I had a busy day and was rather tired.
= hectic
≠ quiet
ADJ: usu ADJ n
3.
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.
Companies are so busy analysing the financial implications that they overlook the effect on workers...
Most people are too busy with their own troubles to give much help.
= preoccupied
ADJ: v-link ADJ, oft ADJ -ing
4.
If you busy yourself with something, you occupy yourself by dealing with it.
He busied himself with the camera...
She busied herself getting towels ready...
For a while Kathryn busied herself in the kitchen.
VERB: V pron-refl with n/-ing, V pron-refl -ing, V pron-refl
5.
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.
ADJ
6.
When a telephone line is busy, you cannot make your call because the line is already being used by someone else. (mainly AM)
I tried to reach him, but the line was busy.
= engaged
ADJ: usu v-link ADJ
Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary
1busy /ˈbɪzi/ adj bus·i·er; -est [also more ~; most ~]
1 : actively doing something
• She's busy preparing for her test.
• Are you busy? Can I talk to you for a minute?
• I will be busy cleaning the house.
• I'm sorry I haven't called. I've been so busy.
• busy people who don't have time to cook
• I got enough work to keep me busy for a while.
• He is a very busy person.
• He's been busy in the kitchen all afternoon.
• She's as busy as a bee. [=she's very busy]
- often + with
• The actress is busy with a new film. [=is working on a new film]
• He keeps himself busy with volunteer work.
• She is busy with wedding plans.
2 a : full of activity or work
• My week has been so busy!
• They live/lead busy lives.
• Is there any time in your busy schedule for us to have lunch next week?
b : full of people or things
• a busy street
• a busy store
3 chiefly US of a telephone or telephone line : being used
• I tried calling her, but her line/phone is busy. [=(chiefly Brit) engaged]
✦When you dial a telephone line that is already in use, you hear a sound that is called a busy signal.
4 : full of many details
• I like the fabric, but I think the pattern is too busy for this dress.
• busy wallpaper
get busy : to start doing work
• We need to finish by 5 o'clock, so we'd better get busy.
- busi·ly /ˈbɪzəli/ adv
• She is busily preparing for her test.
• He is working busily in the kitchen.
- busy·ness /ˈbɪzinəs/ noun [noncount]
• I don't like the busyness of stores around the holidays.
• the busyness of the pattern
