engrossed

Adjective

WordNet 3.0

Adjective (2)

  1. giving or marked by complete attention to“that engrossed look or rapt delight”“then wrapped in dreams”“so intent on this fantastic...narrative that she hardly stirred — Walter de la Mare”“rapt with wonder”“wrapped in thought”Synonyms: captiveabsorbedenwrappedintentwrapped
  2. written formally in a large clear script, as a deed or other legal document
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Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)

Engross \En*gross"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Engrossed; p. pr. & vb. n. Engrossing.] [F., fr. pref. en- (L. in) + gros gross, grosse, n., an engrossed document: cf. OF. engrossir, engroissier, to make thick, large, or gross. See Gross.]

1.To make gross, thick, or large; to thicken; to increase in bulk or quantity. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]

Waves . . . engrossed with mud.— Spenser.[1913 Webster]
Not sleeping, to engross his idle body.— Shak.[1913 Webster]

2.To amass. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]

To engross up glorious deeds on my behalf.— Shak.[1913 Webster]

3.To copy or write in a large hand (en gross, i. e., in large); to write a fair copy of in distinct and legible characters; as, to engross a deed or like instrument on parchment. [1913 Webster]

Some period long past, when clerks engrossed their stiff and formal chirography on more substantial materials.— Hawthorne.[1913 Webster]
Laws that may be engrossed on a finger nail.— De Quincey.[1913 Webster]

4.To seize in the gross; to take the whole of; to occupy the attention completely; to absorb; as, the subject engrossed all his thoughts. [1913 Webster]

5.To purchase either the whole or large quantities of, for the purpose of enhancing the price and making a profit; hence, to take or assume in undue quantity, proportion, or degree; as, to engross commodities in market; to engross power. [1913 Webster]

Engrossed bill (Legislation), one which has been plainly engrossed on parchment, with all its amendments, preparatory to final action on its passage.

Engrossing hand (Penmanship), a fair, round style of writing suitable for engrossing legal documents, legislative bills, etc.

Syn: To absorb; swallow up; imbibe; consume; exhaust; occupy; forestall; monopolize. See Absorb. [1913 Webster]

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