busily

Everyday

1. In a busy way: working hard and actively at something. tree →
2. While being very occupied with a task. tree →

In the lessons

A how-word used in stories to show characters hard at work: bees, ants, cooks, the Rat packing a picnic basket. It often goes with verbs like work, write, chatter, bustle. Phrases: «busily engaged in», «busily at work».

Examples

• The bees buzzed busily from flower to flower. tree →
• Mum was busily packing for the trip. tree →
• The pupils wrote busily until the bell rang. tree →
• The Rat busily packed the lunch basket. tree →
• Ants busily carried crumbs back to their nest. tree →
• The shop assistant was busily stacking shelves. tree →
• Everyone chatted busily before the show began. tree →
• They entered a glovemaker's shop, where a woman sat sewing busily. tree →

Note

Formed from «busy» by changing y to i and adding «-ly»: busy → busily (like happy → happily). Pronounced BIZ-i-lee; the «u» in busy sounds like «i».