Busily

adv. Forms: 3 busiliche, (sup. bisilukest), 3–5 bisiliche, 4 bysely, bysily, bisili, bisyly, besaly, besiliche, (comp. bisiloker), 4–5 bysyly, bisily, besily, 4–6 besyly, 4–7 besely, 5 besele, besselyche, bysiliche, bysylyche, (comp. besilier), 6 bisilye, buisyly(e, busely(e, busilie, 4, 6– busily. [f. BUSY a. + -LY².]

  † 1.  With fixed attention; carefully, heedfully; attentively, intently: with attention to details; particularly, minutely, ‘curiously.’ Obs.

c. 1205.  Lay., 4473. His cnihtes … laien bi þan brimme and bisilichen [c. 1275 busiliche] hit wisten.

a. 1300[?].  Cato Major, IV. 35. Let not o Bok bisiliche Beo lernynge euer-more.

c. 1325.  E. E. Allit. P., B. 1446. Wyth besten blod busily anoynted.

1382.  Wyclif, Matt. ii. 7, 8. Than Herode, bisily lernyde of hem the tyme of the sterre … And he … saide, Go ȝee, and axe ȝee bisily of the chyld.

c. 1386.  Chaucer, Man of Lawes T., 997. He loked besily Upon the child.

1483.  Caxton, Gold. Leg., C ij/2. He demanded more besilier after hym.

a. 1520.  Myrr. Our Ladye, 225. How besely she was to kepe her tongue.

1577.  trans. Bullinger’s Decades (1592), 344. It is in the 3. of Kings, very busily set downe.

  † b.  Anxiously, solicitously. Obs.

c. 1400.  in Pol. Rel. & L. Poems (1866), 234. Here we liue bisiliche wit strong sorwe & care.

  † 2.  Earnestly, fervently, eagerly, importunately.

c. 1340.  Cursor M., 17719 (Trin.). Bisili to god preyonde.

c. 1375.  Lay-Folks Mass-bk., B. 14. We blesse þe bisyly.

c. 1460.  Towneley Myst., 26. Pray for me besele.

1534.  Ld. Berners, Gold. Bk. M. Aurel. (1546), B b ij. My wife … busily praied me to kepe it.

1621.  Bolton, Stat. Irel. (11 Eliz.), 316. Dermot Mac Morche … went … to the said king Henry, and him besely besought of succour.

  3.  So as to be fully occupied; diligently, industriously, assiduously, energetically.

a. 1340.  Hampole, Pr. Consc., 1067. About worldisshe thynges þai here travaile Ful bysily.

1447–8.  J. Shillingford, Lett. (1871), 3. Have full bisily labored to make an answere to the articulys.

1508.  Fisher, Wks., I. (E. E. T.), 58. He shoulde haue resysted … more besyly.

1596.  Shaks., 1 Hen. IV., V. v. 38. Northumberland, and the Prelate Scroope … are busily in Armes.

1736.  Butler, Anal., vii. 142. This little scene of human life, in which we are so busily engaged.

1798.  Southey, To Spider. Busily our needful food to win, We work.

1866.  Kingsley, Herew., x. The old Lapp nurse sat … sewing busily.

  b.  Actively, briskly.

1513.  Bradshaw, St. Werburge (1848), 1. Byrdes besely syngynge.

1843.  Carlyle, Past & Pr., II. vii. (1872), 65. St. Edmundsbury … is a busily fermenting place.

1860.  Tyndall, Glac., I. § 11. 72. The stars … twinkled busily.