preoccupy

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French préoccuper, from Latin praeoccupo, praeoccupare; synchronically analyzable as pre- +‎ occupy. Doublet of preoccupate, now obsolete.

Pronunciation

(Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /pɹiˈɒkjupaɪ/
(General American) IPA^(key): /pɹiˈɑkjupaɪ/
Audio (US) (file)

Verb

preoccupy (third-person singular simple present preoccupies, present participle preoccupying, simple past and past participle preoccupied)

To distract; to occupy or draw attention elsewhere.
The father tried to preoccupy the child with his keys.

Related terms

preoccupation

Translations

distract

Finnish: siirtää jonkun huomio johonkin, kiinnittää jonkun huomio johonkin, askarruttaa

Greek: απασχολώ (el) (apascholó)

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