besich

See also: běsích

Middle Dutch

Alternative forms

• beisich, besech

Etymology

From Old Dutch *bisig, from Proto-West Germanic *bisīg. Likely related to the verb bisen (“wander about”) (see also modern Dutch bijster and kissebissen). Cognate to Middle Low German besich, West Frisian beuzich, Old English bisig, English busy.

Adjective

bēsich

1. busy, doing work
2. busy, having a lot to do
3. useful, necessary

Inflection

This adjective needs an inflection-table template.

Derived terms

• besigen (“use, need”)
• besicheit (“business, need”)

Descendants

• Dutch: bezig
  • Afrikaans: besig
  • Jersey Dutch: bääzix
  • Negerhollands: beesig
  • → Papiamentu: bezig
  • → Sranan Tongo: beisig
• Limburgish: bezig
• West Flemish: bezig
• Zealandic: bezig

Further reading

• “besich”, in Vroegmiddelnederlands Woordenboek, 2000
• Verwijs, E., Verdam, J. (1885–1929) “besich”, in Middelnederlandsch Woordenboek, The Hague: Martinus Nijhoff, →ISBN