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• v  engage or engross the interest or attention of beforehand or occupy urgently or obsessively
• v  occupy or take possession of beforehand or before another or appropriate for use in advance
  the army preoccupied the hills
• s  deeply absorbed in thought
  a preoccupied frown
• s  having or showing excessive or compulsive concern with something
  got no help from his wife who was preoccupied with the children

• Larry Joe Sims, 16, an Eagle Scout at Birmingham's all-white Phillips High School, wasn't preoccupied with the civil rights movement either.
• Lyndon sat in the presidential box, by turns looking statesmanlike, preoccupied, annoyed, and just plain bored.
• This completely fictional figure is, of course, intended to symbolize all the freaks who preoccupied Arbus for the rest of her short life (she is one of those artists whose brief .

• preoccupy
• bemused
• deep in thought
• lost
• haunted
• obsessed
• taken up

News & Articles

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• A fish tale that’s true: The story of Philip Tuttle, the 90-year-old lobsterman who survived the siking of his boat
  Philip Tuttle saw an opportunity and took it. With his wife preoccupied upstairs, he quickly scribbled a note — “Headed out to look for a trap. Be back shortly.” — and headed toward his boat Saturday afternoon.        
  June 13, 2013 - Boston Globe
• On the spot: Alfredo Aceves delivers again for Red Sox, in line to start Tuesday
  ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Because we know you were preoccupied by the Bruins, a few notes from the Red Sox' 2-1 victory over the Rays on Wednesday night:
  June 13, 2013 - Boston Herald
• Ryan within striking distance of Bartkowski's touchdown mark
  FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan is not one to be preoccupied with statistical data.
  June 12, 2013 - The SportsXchange via Yahoo! Sports

Quotes

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• William Hague in The Associated Press
  I think sometimes British politicians and British leaders have been so preoccupied by those ties, that they have neglected to build the wider relationships in the world,Hague said. "From now on we will not neglect the wider world."
• Joe Banner in Forbes
  People deal with circumstances in life of all different kinds, some more serious, some less serious, some more preoccupied and less so, and are still able to carry on with their careers and their professions,Banner said. "I think that's...
• Franklin Graham in FOX News
  Franklin Graham said his father is strong enough to appear at the dedication, but "he's preoccupied right now with my mother. She is very weak."