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I was reading O'hara's 10 North Frederick and in describing a house he mentions a dumb-waiter, a speaking tube and a "busybody." What exactly is a busybody?

Giacomo1968
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lynn terry
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    https://www.google.co.uk/#q=define+busybody Look at the dictionary entries, if you still don't understand, please edit your question explaining "why". – Mari-Lou A Aug 10 '15 at 05:06
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    @Mari-LouA The only definition that pops up everywhere is along the lines of a person who is too interested in the private lives of other people, which seems strange to include in a list of properties of a house. Maybe this question is about the context, or maybe the OP would like to know if there is another, possibly more obscure or obsolete meaning of the word busybody that would fit more with the service-elevator and the communication system that are mentioned... – oerkelens Aug 10 '15 at 05:53
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    @oerkelens please see deadrat's answer. I have only ever heard of a "busybody" as someone who doesn't mind their own business, the same one reported in dictionaries. – Mari-Lou A Aug 10 '15 at 05:57

3 Answers3

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From the printed supplement to the OED:

busybody.... a mirror attached to a building, reflecting a view of the street, etc. U.S.

enter image description here

Mari-Lou A
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deadrat
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    Well, I never... http://www.kilianhardware.com/franbus.html – Mari-Lou A Aug 10 '15 at 05:28
  • Does that device go by another name? Looking it up by "busybody" seems impossible – Saebekassebil Aug 10 '15 at 09:24
  • @Saebekassebil - Traffic and/or secure mirror. – Wad Cheber Aug 10 '15 at 10:15
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    @Saebekassebil aka Franklin busybody mirror. – Wad Cheber Aug 10 '15 at 10:16
  • in Danish these are called "gadespejl", lit. "street mirror". But my dictionary suggests "window mirror" – Saebekassebil Aug 10 '15 at 10:55
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    @Wad: a traffic mirror would be one positioned so that cars or pedestrians could see cars or pedestrians. I suspect most busybodys are positioned so you can see who's at your door, so secure mirror would be the correct alternate name. – Peter Shor Aug 10 '15 at 11:36
  • @Mari-LouA Trust me, I’m as astounded as you must be. – tchrist Aug 10 '15 at 13:58
  • @PeterShor Traffic; noun: trade; buying and selling; commercial dealings. A traffic mirror would be one to see who is at your door, presumably for commercial dealings (door to door salesmen, deliveries, etc.) – corsiKa Aug 10 '15 at 20:38
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    @PeterShor - that should have said "security mirror" – Wad Cheber Aug 10 '15 at 21:40
  • @corsiKa: One of the first instances of "traffic mirror" in Google books (from 1914) is the caption: "A traffic mirror erected by the Hampshire Automobile Club at a dangerous comer at Hythe. The reflection seen in the mirror on the right is that of a car approaching from the road on the left." – Peter Shor Aug 10 '15 at 23:48
  • @Saebekassebil They are? I didn't realise they were called anything in Danish—I've never even heard of the concept. Gadespejl is something different to me (a traffic mirror, as per Peter’s explanation above). – Janus Bahs Jacquet Sep 21 '15 at 00:50
  • Wow, we learn something every day. – Anton Sherwood Jul 19 '20 at 02:55
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The "Philadelphia Busy Body" was common on houses 100-200 years ago. The series of mirrors allowed the lady of the house to see a street vendor coming down the street and stop him with his cart. If she didn't see the street vendor he would pass by her house and continue on. She might not get her fruits and vegetables for that day

Vi Johnson
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busybody

A meddling or prying person

SYNONYMS: [informal] snoop, snooper, looky-loo, nosy parker

Oxford Dictionaries

or a device for that purpose.

Mari-Lou A
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moksef
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