be tied up — to be busy and unable to do something else
Part of speech: VERB
Definition: to be busy and unable to do something else
Pronunciation (IPA): /biː taɪd ʌp/
Example Sentences
- Sorry, I can't go to the party tonight - I'm tied up with my mother-in-law's surprise visit!
- The CEO will be tied up in budget meetings until Friday.
- My phone was tied up for hours because my teenager discovered TikTok.
be tied up
VERB[/biː taɪd ʌp/]
to be busy and unable to do something else
She can't grab lunch because she's tied up with back-to-back meetings all day.
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
The verb 'tie' derives from Old English 'tigan', meaning to bind or fasten. The adverb 'up' originally indicated completion or thoroughness. Originally denoting physical binding, the phrase 'be tied up' acquired a figurative sense meaning 'to be busy or occupied' from the 20th century onward.
Breakdown
tie (from Old English 'tigan': to bind) + up (adverb indicating completion or intensity), forming a phrasal verb where the literal sense of binding has extended metaphorically to describe being occupied or unavailable.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“Sorry, I can't go to the party tonight - I'm tied up with my mother-in-law's surprise visit!”
“The CEO will be tied up in budget meetings until Friday.”
“My phone was tied up for hours because my teenager discovered TikTok.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
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