English

forebusy

Forebusy comes from Old English forebiseġian.

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

Earliest quotation: 1877, Philip James Bailey: “Springs up to know all life, the secrets learn…”

Formed from fore- + busy

Proto-Indo-European *per- ‘before, formerly’

Proto-Germanic *fura- ‘before, in front of, for’

Proto-West Germanic *forē- ‘before, in front of, fore-, pre-’

English fore-

Proto-West Germanic *bisīg ‘diligent’

Old English bisiġ ‘busy’

Middle English bisy ‘engaged in activity’

English busy

Every English word from Old English forebiseġian

verb To busy beforehand; preoccupy.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.