Search Result for "preoccupy": 
Wordnet 3.0

VERB (2)

1. engage or engross the interest or attention of beforehand or occupy urgently or obsessively;
- Example: "His work preoccupies him"
- Example: "The matter preoccupies her completely--she cannot think of anything else"

2. occupy or take possession of beforehand or before another or appropriate for use in advance;
- Example: "the army preoccupied the hills"



The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Preoccupy \Pre*oc"cu*py\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Preoccupied
   (-p[imac]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]


WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

preoccupy
    v 1: engage or engross the interest or attention of beforehand
         or occupy urgently or obsessively; "His work preoccupies
         him"; "The matter preoccupies her completely--she cannot
         think of anything else"
    2: occupy or take possession of beforehand or before another or
       appropriate for use in advance; "the army preoccupied the
       hills"