busy around
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
To stay busy by doing various tasks or activities.
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Examples
1977-1980, Lou Sullivan, personal diary, quoted in 2019, Ellis Martin, Zach Ozma (editors), We Both Laughed In Pleasure
She stayed a long time, way past visiting hours, busying around smoothing the sheets, etc.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “busy around” mean?
To stay busy by doing various tasks or activities.
Is “busy around” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.