Preoccupied

Preoccupied
Preoccupy Pre*oc"cu*py, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Preoccupied} (-p[=i]d); p. pr. & vb. n. {Preoccupying}.] [Cf. F. pr['e]occuper. See {Preoccupate}, {Occupy}.] 1. To take possession of before another; as, to preoccupy a country not before held. [1913 Webster]

2. To prepossess; to engage, occupy, or engross the attention of, beforehand; hence, to prejudice. [1913 Webster]

I Think it more respectful to the reader to leave something to reflections than to preoccupy his judgment. --Arbuthnot. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • preoccupied — index oblivious Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • preoccupied — *abstracted, absent, absentminded, distraught Analogous words: *intent, engrossed, absorbed: *forgetful, oblivious, unmindful …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • preoccupied — [adj] busy; mentally caught up in something absent, absent minded, absorbed, abstracted, airheaded*, asleep*, bemused, bugged*, daydreaming, deep*, distracted, distrait, engaged, engrossed, faraway, fascinated, forgetful, have on the brain*,… …   New thesaurus

  • preoccupied — [prē äk′yo͞o pīd΄, prē äk′yəpīd΄] adj. 1. previously or already occupied 2. wholly occupied with or absorbed in one s thoughts; engrossed 3. Biol. designating or of a taxonomic name already used and hence no longer available SYN. ABSENT MINDED …   English World dictionary

  • preoccupied — adj. VERBS ▪ appear, be, look, seem ▪ become ▪ remain ADVERB ▪ extremely …   Collocations dictionary

  • preoccupied — pre|oc|cu|pied [pri:ˈɔkjupaıd US ˈa:k ] adj thinking about something a lot, with the result that you do not pay attention to other things ▪ What s wrong with Cindy? She seems a little preoccupied. preoccupied with ▪ He s completely preoccupied… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • preoccupied — [[t]priɒ̱kjʊpaɪd[/t]] ADJ GRADED: usu v link ADJ, oft ADJ with/by n If you are preoccupied, you are thinking a lot about something or someone, and so you hardly notice other things. Tom Banbury was preoccupied with the missing Shepherd child and… …   English dictionary

  • preoccupied — adj. preoccupied with * * * [prɪ ɒkjʊpaɪd] preoccupied with …   Combinatory dictionary

  • preoccupied — pre|oc|cu|pied [ pri akjə,paıd ] adjective thinking about something so much or spending so much time doing something that you do not notice other things or cannot think about other things: Martin was too preoccupied with his own life to notice… …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • preoccupied — adjective thinking about something a lot, with the result that you do not pay attention to other things: I tried to speak to Bella, but she seemed a little preoccupied. (+ with): Rod s completely preoccupied with all the wedding preparations at… …   Longman dictionary of contemporary English

  • preoccupied — adjective 1) officials preoccupied with their careers Syn: obsessed, concerned, absorbed, engrossed, intent, involved, wrapped up 2) she looked preoccupied Syn: lost/deep in thought, in a brown study, pensive, absen …   Thesaurus of popular words

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