Hypertext Webster Gateway: "preoccupation"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Preoccupation \Pre*oc`cu*pa"tion\, n. [L. praeoccupatio: cf. F.
pr['e]occupation.]
1. The act of preoccupying, or taking possession of
beforehand; the state of being preoccupied; prepossession.
2. Anticipation of objections. [R.] --South.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
preoccupation
n 1: an idea that preoccupies the mind and holds the attention
2: the mental state of being preoccupied by something [syn: {preoccupancy},
{absorption}, {engrossment}]
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