preoccupyv.

Brit.

/prɪˈɒkjᵿpʌɪ/,

/priːˈɒkjᵿpʌɪ/, U.S.

/priˈɑkjəˌpaɪ/

Forms: 1500s– preoccupy, 1600s praeoccupie, 1600s preoccupie, 1600s preocupy; Scottish pre-1700 preoccupie, pre-1700 preocupie, pre-1700 1700s– preoccupy.

Origin: Formed within English, by derivation; partly modelled on a Latin lexical item, and partly modelled on a French lexical item. Etymons: pre- prefix, occupy v.

Etymology: < pre- prefix + occupy v., after classical Latin praeoccupāre preoccupate v. and Middle French preoccuper, French préoccuper to occupy (someone's mind) forcefully (c1355; 13th cent. in Old French in sense ‘seize prematurely’), to occupy (someone's mind) completely in advance (1560). Compare Italian preoccupare (a1342). Compare preoccupation n.

a. transitive. Of a subject, matter, etc.: to engross or dominate (the mind, senses, etc.) to the exclusion of other matters; to distract; to concern to the point of distraction with; to worry; (also) †to prepossess, to bias (obsolete). Frequently in passive (cf. preoccupied adj. 3).

ΘΚΠ

the mind > attention and judgement > attention > attracting attention > engage the attention [verb (transitive)] > hold attention, absorb

swallowc1330

deepc1380

dare1547

suspend1561

preoccupy1567

devour1568

to swallow up1581

enwrap1589

invest1601

steep1603

to take up1603

spell1646

possess1653

enchain1658

engross1661

absorb1749

fix1752

rivet1762

fascinate1782

spell-bind1808

arrest1814

mesmerize1862

to turn on1903

get1913

consume1999

1567 T. Drant in tr. Horace Arte of Poetrie To Rdr. sig. *v^v Amarouse Pamphlets haue so preoccupyed the eyes, and eares of men.

1614 G. Markham Cheape & Good Husbandry To Courteous Reader sig. ¶4 The minde being preoccupied and busied with a vertuous search, is euer ready to catch hold of whatsoeuer can adorne or illustrate the excellency of the thing, in which he is imployed.

a1616 W. Shakespeare Coriolanus (1623) ii. iii. 232 Say..that Your Minds pre-occupy'd with what you rather must do, Then what you should, made you against the graine To Voyce him Consull.

a1701 R. Barclay Apol. for True Christian Divinity (ed. 4) 16 The mean People, who were not so much pre-occupied with former Principles, nor conceited of their own Knowledge, did easily believe.

1771 T. Smollett Humphry Clinker II. 59 [She] had assured him that Liddy's heart was pre-occupied.

1856 R. W. Emerson Eng. Traits i. 37 The inconveniences..of the sea are not of any account to those whose minds are preoccupied.

1866 ‘G. Eliot’ Felix Holt III. xxxviii. 65 How powerfully those minor accidents of rank which please the fastidious sense can preoccupy the imagination.

1893 W. Pater Plato & Platonism vii. 139 The metaphysical questions, or answers, which from age to age preoccupy acuter minds.

1927 A. Conan Doyle Case-bk. Sherlock Holmes 301 You know that I am preoccupied with this case of the two Coptic Patriarchs, which should come to a head to-day.

1969 Times 13 Oct. p. iv/3 Internal events and internal politics will preoccupy the Indian military authorities largely to the exclusion of external affairs.

1983 M. H. Moran M. Drabble ii. 23 Another cruel condition of life that preoccupies Drabble is the inevitable disappointment of youthful dreams in the face of adult realities.

2002 New Yorker 16 Dec. 99/3 His letters reveal that he was preoccupied with mundanities.

†b. transitive. To prepossess, to bias. Obsolete.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > mental capacity > belief > expressed belief, opinion > bias, prejudice > judge with prejudice [verb (transitive)] > cause prejudice in

prevent1551

forestall?1571

bias1581

preoccupate1582

prejudicate1602

prejudice1610

pre-engage1646

prepossess1647

preoccupya1658

tamper1687

a1658 J. Durham Dying Man's Test. (1659) iv. 377 It is not possible..to convince either party to assent to the other, especially where heat and prejudice hath someway fixed and preoccupied the judgement.

a1690 G. Buchanan Hist. Sc. xi. 388 Knowing that Pardon might easily be Obtain'd, if he did preoccupy the Kings Favour.

1757 W. Burke Acct. European Settlem. Amer. II. vii. xxix. 284 By this the reader will himself be enabled to judge, for it is not my design to preoccupy his judgment in these particulars.

†2.

a. transitive. To occupy or take possession of (a place, etc.) in advance or before another person; to appropriate for use in advance. Also figurative. Obsolete.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > possession > have or possess [verb (transitive)] > occupy > beforehand

preoccupy1587

1587 A. Fleming et al. Holinshed's Chron. (new ed.) III. 551/1 Herevpon at a streict (which they had preoccupied) they stoutlie from our armie not onelie kept the passage, but also vpon vs gaue a proud onset.

1597 J. Skene De Verborum Significatione at Regrateris Forestallares are properlie they quha pre-occupies and byes merchandes before it cum to the mercat.

1622 G. de Malynes Consuetudo 240 The places of these Ships which by them should haue been preoccupied, may be filled vp yearely with good fish.

1797 R. Southey Lett. from Spain vi. 66 We found the posada pre-occupied by a Marquis and his retinue.

1837 T. Carlyle French Revol. III. i. vii. 70 A Mountain-wall of forty miles..which he should have preoccupied.

1865 M. Arnold Ess. Crit. ix. 277 The name of Antoninus being preoccupied by Antoninus Pius.

1893 B. Potter Jrnl. Apr. (1966) 310 There was a meeting of Licensed Victuallers in Trafalgar Square.., or rather attempted meeting, for the ground was pre-occupied by a belligerent assembly of Sons of the Phoenix.

b. transitive. To prepare or fill (something) with in advance. Obsolete. rare.

ΚΠ

1822 J. M. Good Study Med. III. 386 It has..been proposed..to fight off the poison of lyssa by pre-occupying the ground with the poison of a viper.

1869 R. Browning Ring & Bk. III. ix. 233 If field with corn ye fail preoccupy, Darnel for wheat and thistle-beards for grain..Will grow apace.

†3. transitive. To anticipate, forestall, pre-empt. Obsolete.

ΘΚΠ

the world > time > relative time > the past > antecedence or being earlier > precede or come before [verb (transitive)] > anticipate or forestall

before-takea1382

preventc1425

devance1485

prevenea1500

lurch1530

to take before the bounda1556

to be aforehand with1570

to be beforehand with1574

to meet halfwaya1586

preoccupate1588

forestall1589

fore-run1591

surprise1591

antedate1595

foreprise1597

preoccupy1607

preoccupy1638

pre-act1655

anticipatea1682

obviate1712

to head off1841

beat1847

to beat out1893

pre-empt1957

1607 J. Marston What you Will II. 270 Informe our person of your severall qualities..that our selfe may pervew, prevent, and preoccupie the pustulent dangers incident to all your cases.

a1658 J. Durham Commandments (1675) 125 The offence and mistake that Christ is to preoccupie and rectifie amongst his hearers, requireth this.

a1679 J. Brown Life of Faith (1679–80) xxi. 394 These and the like Objections, which Paul, in his Epistles, preoccupieth, shew what the corrupt heart and reasonings of men are set upon.

1785 T. Warton in J. Milton Poems (new ed.) 306 (note) I have been preoccupied by Dr. Jortin in noting this parallel.

1798 New & Gen. Biogr. Dict. (new ed.) 412 He imitated the manner of the principal speakers then in parliament, and defeated the force of the argument of Opposition, by preoccupying them.

†4.

a. transitive. In passive: to be dressed in in advance. Obsolete. rare.

ΘΚΠ

the world > textiles and clothing > clothing > wearing clothing > [verb (transitive)] > wear habitually

preoccupy1631

pack1890

1631 B. Jonson New Inne Argt. iv The Taylors wife, who was wont to be preocupied in all his Customers best clothes.

b. transitive. To wear in advance. Obsolete. rare.

ΚΠ

a1637 B. Jonson Under-woods xlii. 42 in Wks. (1640) III Whose like I have knowne the Taylors Wife put on..e're 'twere gone Home to the Customer: his Letcherie Being, the best clothes still to præoccupie.

†5. transitive. To possess by anticipation. Obsolete.

ΘΚΠ