preoccupy

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

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /pɹiˈɒkjupaɪ/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /pɹiˈɑkjupaɪ/

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

1. (transitive) To distract; to occupy or draw attention elsewhere.

   The father tried to preoccupy the child with his keys.

2. (transitive) To occupy or take possession of beforehand.

• preoccupation