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Hectic vs Busy - What's the difference?

hectic | busy |

As adjectives the difference between hectic and busy

is that hectic is pertaining to bodily reactions characterised by flushed or dry skin while busy is crowded with business or activities; having a great deal going on.

As nouns the difference between hectic and busy

is that hectic is a hectic fever while busy is {{cx|slang|UK|Liverpool|derogatory|lang=en}} A police officer.

As a verb busy is

to make somebody busy, to keep busy with, to occupy, to make occupied.

hectic

English

Alternative forms

* hectick (obsolete)

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Pertaining to bodily reactions characterised by flushed or dry skin.
  • hectic''' fever; a '''hectic patient
  • Very busy with activity and confusion; feverish.
  • The city center is so hectic at 8 in the morning that I go to work an hour beforehand to avoid the crowds

    Synonyms

    * feverish

    Derived terms

    * hectically

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (obsolete) A hectic fever.
  • (obsolete) A flush like one produced by such a fever.
  • * 1819 , Lord Byron, Don Juan , II.147:
  • For still he lay, and on his thin worn cheek / A purple hectic played like dying day / On the snow-tops of distant hills [...].

    busy

    English

    Adjective

    (er)
  • Crowded with business or activities; having a great deal going on.
  • a busy street
  • * Shakespeare
  • To-morrow is a busy day.
  • Engaged in another activity or by someone else.
  • The director cannot see you now, he's busy .
    Her telephone has been busy all day.
    She is too busy to have time for riddles.
  • Having a lot going on; complicated or intricate.
  • Flowers, stripes, and checks in the same fabric make for a busy pattern.
  • Officious; meddling.
  • * 1603 , , IV. ii. 130:
  • I will be hanged if some eternal villain, / Some busy and insinuating rogue, / Some cogging, cozening slave, to get some office, / Have not devised this slander; I'll be hanged else.

    Verb

  • To make somebody busy , to keep busy with, to occupy, to make occupied.
  • * On my vacation I'll busy myself with gardening.
  • To rush somebody.
  • Noun

    (busies)
  • A police officer.