1. (a.) 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.

2. (a.) Constantly at work; diligent; active.

3. (a.) Crowded with business or activities; -- said of places and times; as, a busy street.

4. (a.) Officious; meddling; foolish active.

5. (a.) Careful; anxious.

6. (v. t.) To make or keep busy; to employ; to engage or keep engaged; to occupy; as, to busy one's self with books.

absorb active arabesque assiduous at it at work attend to business baroque burden bustling busybody chichi complex complicated detailed devote diligent divert drive elaborate elegant employ employed energetic engage engaged engross fag fancy fine flamboyant florid flowery forward frilly full of business fussy hard at it hard at work hectic high-wrought hustling immerse impertinent in harness industrious inquisitive intricate involve involved keep busy labored lively luxuriant luxurious meddlesome meddling mind the store moresque nosy occupied occupy officious on duty on the go on the hop on the job on the jump on the move on the run oppress ornate ostentatious overdrive overelaborate overelegant overlabored overtask overtax overwork overworked overwrought pass the time picturesque presumptuous pretty-pretty prying pushing pushy rich rococo self-appointed snoopy soak spend spend the time sweat task tax tied up work working