Busy Definition
The condition that exists when a central office (CO), PBX, destination telephone circuit, or other voice telecommunications component is in use at its full capacity and not available to accept additional calls. If a caller attempts to place a call to a device that is in a busy condition, the device returns a busy signal in the backward direction. For a telephone, busy is the same as off hook. See also busy signal.
Origin of Busy
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From Middle English busi, besy, bisi, from Old English bysiġ, *biesiġ, bisiġ (“busy, occupied, diligent”). Cognate with Dutch bezig (“busy”), Low German besig (“busy”), Old Frisian bisgia (“to use”), Old English bisgian (“to occupy, employ, trouble, afflict”).
From Wiktionary
Middle English bisi, busi from Old English bysig
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
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