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Busy vs Preoccupied - What's the difference?

busy | preoccupied |

As adjectives the difference between busy and preoccupied

is that busy is crowded with business or activities; having a great deal going on while preoccupied is concerned with something else; distracted; giving one's attention elsewhere.

As verbs the difference between busy and preoccupied

is that busy is to make somebody busy, to keep busy with, to occupy, to make occupied while preoccupied is past tense of preoccupy.

As a noun busy

is {{cx|slang|UK|Liverpool|derogatory|lang=en}} A police officer.

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.

    Related terms

    * busy as a beaver * busy as a bee * busybody * busyness * busy work

    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.

    • Anagrams

    * 1000 English basic words

    preoccupied

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Concerned with something else; distracted; giving one's attention elsewhere.
    • I was preoccupied with a deadline at work, and I forgot his birthday.

    Verb

    (head)
  • (preoccupy)