preoccupy

== English == === Etymology === From pre- +‎ occupy, after Middle French preoccuper, and its source, Latin praeoccupo, praeoccupare. Doublet of preoccupate, now obsolete. === Pronunciation === (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /pɹɪˈɒkjupaɪ/ (General American) IPA(key): /pɹiˈɑkjupaɪ/ === Verb === preoccupy (third-person singular simple present preoccupies, present participle preoccupying, simple past and past participle preoccupied) (transitive) To distract; to draw attention elsewhere. [from 16th c.] (transitive) To worry or concern (someone) so as to distract them. Synonym: exercise (transitive, obsolete) To occupy or take possession of beforehand. [16th–19th c.] ==== Related terms ==== preoccupation ==== Translations ====