ENGROSSED • E-FREE TRANSLATION.COM • Definition of Engrossed

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/ɪngrˈoʊst/ Listen

verb

Engross v. t. (past & past part. engrossed; pres. part. engrossing)

1.

To make gross, thick, or large; to thicken; to increase in bulk or quantity. (Obs.) "Waves... engrossed with mud." "Not sleeping, to engross his idle body."

2.

To amass. (Obs.) "To engross up glorious deeds on my behalf."

3.

To copy or write in a large hand (en gross, i. e., in large); to write a fair copy of in distinct and legible characters; as, to engross a deed or like instrument on parchment. "Some period long past, when clerks engrossed their stiff and formal chirography on more substantial materials." "Laws that may be engrossed on a finger nail."

4.

To seize in the gross; to take the whole of; to occupy the attention completely; to absorb; as, the subject engrossed all his thoughts.

5.

To purchase either the whole or large quantities of, for the purpose of enhancing the price and making a profit; hence, to take or assume in undue quantity, proportion, or degree; as, to engross commodities in market; to engross power.

Engrossed bill (Legislation), one which has been plainly engrossed on parchment, with all its amendments, preparatory to final action on its passage.

Engrossing hand (Penmanship), a fair, round style of writing suitable for engrossing legal documents, legislative bills, etc.

Synonyms: To absorb; swallow up; imbibe; consume; exhaust; occupy; forestall; monopolize. See Absorb.

See images of 'Engrossed'

Etymology of 'Engrossed'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

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"Engrossed" Quotes from Famous Books

... disease, and are learning and teaching the grand lessons of patience, endurance, and fortitude so necessary to humanity, but a community of individuals, able to walk about, talk to one another, and be generally engrossed with one idea, the pursuit of health. We once spent thirty days in a water-cure establishment, and can truly say that it was one of the most miserable months we ever passed. The totally physical atmosphere, the selfish, material ...

— The Continental Monthly, Vol. 4, No. 2, August, 1863 - Devoted to Literature and National Policy • Various

... time all went well; the festival of summer sports was approaching, and the young Vespaluus was too engrossed in wrestling and foot-running and javelin-throwing competitions to bother himself with the strife of conflicting religious systems. Then, however, came the great culminating feature of the summer festival, the ceremonial dance round the grove of the sacred serpents, ...

— The Chronicles of Clovis • Saki

... no reply this time; his attention was evidently engrossed by some close bidding over a useful slave, but as Hortensius now finally turned away from him, his dark eyes under the shadow of that perpetual frown swept over the figure of the young exquisite, from the crown of the curled and perfumed head to the soles ...

— "Unto Caesar" • Baroness Emmuska Orczy

... with them. She saw at once it was to be business, not sentiment. You are to pay her one more visit, to sign, and part friends. If you please, I'll make that appointment with both parties, as soon as the deed is engrossed. Oh, by-the-by, she did shed a tear or two, but she dried them to ask me for the ponies and the ...

— A Terrible Temptation - A Story of To-Day • Charles Reade

... for Miss Mildmay's being particularly busy that week, and very engrossed by some unexpected difficulties which had arisen in connection with one of her benevolent works, she could scarcely have failed to notice Jacinth's extremely icy manner and ...

— Robin Redbreast - A Story for Girls • Mary Louisa Molesworth

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