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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. Sir, my mistress sends you word THat she is busy, and she can not come. Shak.

e who officiously concerns himself with the affairs of others; a meddling person. And not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not. 1 Tim. v. 13.

Otherwise than that; that not; -- commonly, after a negative, with that. It cannot be but nature hath some director, of infinite power, to guide her in all her ways. Hooker. There is no question but the king of Spain will reform most of the abuses. Addison.

Action carried on aside, and commonly in dumb show, while the main action proceeds.

A house on deck, where the cooking is done; -- commonly called the galley.

The close or fall of a strain; the point of rest, commonly reached by the immediate succession of the tonic to the dominant chord.

A parenthetic flourish or flight of ornament in the course of a piece, commonly just before the final cadence.

originally because his jurisdiction extended to the cases of soldiers, who are now tried only by their own officers.

A metrical break in a verse, occurring in the middle of a foot and commonly near the middle of the verse; a sense pause in the middle of a foot. Also, a long syllable on which the cæsural accent rests, or which is used as a foot.

A species of Acorus (A. calamus), commonly called calamus, or sweet flag. The root has a pungent, aromatic taste, and is used in medicine as a stomachic; the leaves have an aromatic odor, and were formerly used instead of rushes to strew on floors.

Likely to produce a certain effect, whether intended or not; fitted; adapted; suited. The only danger that attends multiplicity of publication is, that some of them may be calculated to injure rather than benefit society. Goldsmith. The minister, on the other hand, had never gone through an experience calculated to lea…

. The wind ceased, and there was a great calm. Mark. iv. 39. A calm before a storm is commonly a peace of a man's own making. South.

and wet localities in the northern part of the United States. The Calypso borealis is the only orchid which reaches 68º N.

ce placed at the back or an extensible darkened box or chamber variously modifled; -- commonly called simply the camera.

Flat; depressed; crooked; -- said only of the nose. [Obs.]

A collection of tents, huts, etc., for shelter, commonly arranged in an orderly manner. Forming a camp in the neighborhood of Boston. W. Irving.

inch of candle, a form of excommunication in which the offender is allowed time to repent only while a candle burns. -- Not worth the candle, not worth the cost or trouble. -- Rush candle, a candle made of the pith of certain rushes, peeled except on one side, and dipped in grease. -- Sale by inch of candle, an auct…

ar palms, species of Calamus and Dæmanorops, having very long, smooth flexible stems, commonly called rattans.

trict rule of life. -- Secular canoness, one allowed to hold private property, and bound only by vows of chastity and obedience so long as she chose to remain in the chapter.

A piece of strong cloth of which the surface has been prepared to receive painting, commonly painting in oil. History . . . does not bring out clearly upon the canvas the details which were familiar. J. H. Newman.