lit., "to be working round about, instead of at one's own business" (peri, "around," ergon, "work"), signifies to take more pains than enough about a thing, to waste one's labor, to be meddling with, or bustling about, other people's matters. This is found in 2 Thessalonians 3:11 , where, following the verb ergazomai, "to work," it forms a paronomasia. This may be produced in a free rendering: "some who are not busied in their own business, but are overbusied in that of others."
akin to A, denoting "taken up with trifles," is used of magic arts in Acts 19:19; "busybodies" in 1 Timothy 5:13 , i.e., meddling in other persons' affairs. See CURIOUS.
from allotrios, "belonging to another person," and episkopos, "an overseer," translated "busybody" in the AV of 1 Peter 4:15 , "meddler," RV, was a legal term for a charge brought against Christians as being hostile to civilized society, their purpose being to make Gentiles conform to Christian standards. Some explain it as a pryer into others' affairs. See MEDDLER.