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busy market
/ˈbɪzi ˈmɑːrkɪt/
place with heavy trade activity
The busy market was packed with vendors selling fresh produce.
The market had a high volume of customers and sellers.
Business
informal
A marketplace characterized by a high volume of customers, vendors, and transactions.
Navigating the busy market during the holiday season requires patience.
Moving through the crowded marketplace during peak shopping times is difficult.
Often implies physical congestion and noise.
Finance
formal
A financial or commercial sector experiencing high levels of trading activity and volatility.
Traders are cautious in a busy market due to rapid price fluctuations.
Investors are careful because the market has high trading volume and instability.
In finance, 'busy' often refers to high liquidity and trading volume rather than physical people.
Collocations
busy market streeta street with many shops and shoppersbusy market conditionsperiods of high financial trading activity
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Context Matters
Distinguish between physical markets (people/shops) and financial markets (trades/volume). Use 'crowded' for physical spaces and 'active' or 'volatile' for financial contexts to be more precise.
Gold Rule
Literal Meaning
This is a descriptive phrase, not an idiom. The meaning is the sum of its parts: a market that is busy.
Word Origin
Compound of 'busy' (Middle English, from Old French 'bisie') and 'market' (Middle English, from Old French 'marche').
Usage Notes
While 'busy' literally means occupied with activity, in a market context it specifically connotes high foot traffic and commercial energy. In financial contexts, it refers to transaction volume.
Word Breakdown
busy
having a lot to do; active
adjectivemarket
a place or system for buying and selling
nounEnglish Dictionary