preoccupy Hear it!

preoccupy Definition

pre·oc·cupy (prē äk′yo̵̅o̅ pī′, -yə-)

transitive verb preoccupied -·pied′, preoccupying -·py′·ing

  1. to occupy the thoughts of to the virtual exclusion of other matters; engross; absorb
  2. to occupy or take possession of before someone else or beforehand

Etymology: MFr preoccuper < L praeoccupare: see pre- & occupy

preoccupy Usage Examples

Object

  • commentator: The fall of the euro, which so preoccupies commentators, is only another way of looking at the rise of the dollar.
  • man: This preoccupies both men until Leibniz's death ( and Newton until his ).

Adjective complement

  • most: So it is that material which preoccupies most of my attention in all that follows.