Etymology

From Middle DutchCategory:Dutch terms inherited from Middle Dutch#BEZIGENCategory:Dutch terms derived from Middle Dutch#BEZIGEN besighen; bēsich in Middle Dutch had a meaning of "useful" which is lost in Modern Dutch, so the surface analysis of bezig +‎ -enCategory:Dutch terms suffixed with -en (denominative)#BEZIGEN is somewhat unintuitive to modern speakers.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbeː.zə.ɣə(n)/Category:Dutch terms with IPA pronunciation#BEZIGEN

• Audio:

  (file)

  Category:Dutch terms with audio pronunciation#BEZIGEN
• Hyphenation: be‧zi‧gen

Verb

bezigenCategory:Dutch lemmas#BEZIGENCategory:Dutch verbs#BEZIGENCategory:Dutch entries with incorrect language header#BEZIGENCategory:Pages with entries#BEZIGENCategory:Pages with 1 entry#BEZIGEN

1. (transitiveCategory:Dutch transitive verbs#BEZIGEN) to use

   Synonym: gebruiken

   • 2025, Joanie de Rijke, quoting Michelle Haas, “'Ongekende' sabotageactie zorgt voor bezorgdheid bij Europa en de NAVO: 'Iedereen wist allang waar de zwakke plekken zitten'”, in De Morgen‎:

     Maar de duidelijke, snelle veroordeling die Polen nu bezigt, duidt wel op een nieuwe fase.

     But the clear and rapid [words of] condemnation that Poland is now using do point to a new phase.

     Category:Dutch terms with quotations#BEZIGEN

References

• van der Sijs, Nicoline, editor (2010), “bezigen”, in Etymologiebank, Meertens Institute