Search the Dictionary

sed; glad; apt; wont; fond; inclined. Men and birds are fain of climbing high. Shak. To a busy man, temptation is fainto climb up together with his business. Jer. Taylor.

fingers actively moving as a fiddler does; to move the hands and fingers restlessy or in busy idleness; to trifle. Talking, and fiddling with their hats and feathers. Pepys.

Precise in trifles; idly busy. [Colloq.] Smart.

To be overbusy or unduly anxious about trifles; to make a bustle or ado. Sir W. Scott.

e like, consisting of a head, usually of steel or iron, fixed crosswise to a handle. With busy hammers closing rivets up. Shak.

A place swarming with busy occupants; a crowd. The hive of Roman liars. Tennyson. Hive bee (Zoöl.), the honeybee.

ddison. The court seldom fails to improve the oppotunity. Blackstone. How doth the little busy bee Improve each shining hour. I. Watts. Those moments were diligently improved. Gibbon. True policy, as well as good faith, in my opinion, binds us to improve the occasion. Washington.

Not disposed to action or effort; not diligent or industrious; not busy; idle; as, an inactive officer.

n to industry; characterized by diligence; constantly, regularly, or habitually occupied; busy; assiduous; not slothful or idle; -- commonly implying devotion to lawful and useful labor. Frugal and industrious men are commonly friendly to the established government. Sir W. Temple.

en nature has provided, to remove that ignorance they were born with; which, without this busy inquisitiveness, will make them dull. Locke.

plot or scheme intended to effect some purpose by secret artifice; conspiracy; stratagem. Busy meddlers with intrigues of state. Pomfret.

troy the effect of; to counteract; to neutralize; as, alkali kills acid. To kill time, to busy one's self with something which occupies the attention, or makes the time pass without tediousness.

sighed, and had no leisure more to say. Dryden. At leisure. (a) Free from occupation; not busy. (b) In a leisurely manner; at a convenient time.

ief; probable; credible; as, a likely story. It seems likely that he was in hope of being busy and conspicuous. Johnson.

Busy in making or contriving marriages; as, a matchmaking woman.

To interest or engage one's self unnecessarily or impertinently, to interfere or busy one's self improperly with another's affairs; specifically, to handle or distrub another's property without permission; -- often followed by with or in. Why shouldst thou meddle to thy hurt 2 Kings xiv. 10. The civil lawyers . . . hav…

terferes or busies himself with things in which he has no concern; an officious person; a busybody.

ed woman or a girl; as, she is a miss of sixteen. Gay vanity, with smiles and kisses, Was busy 'mongst the maids and misses. Cawthorn.

The state of being busy; multitude of business. [Obs.]

Very busy; attentive to business; active. [R.] D. Rogers.