1. (

• preoccupy

) engage or engross the interest or attention of beforehand or occupy urgently or obsessively; "His work preoccupies him"; "The matter preoccupies her completely;

2. (

• preoccupy

) occupy or take possession of beforehand or before another or appropriate for use in advance; "the army preoccupied the hills" ;

1. (

• bemused ,
• lost ,
• preoccupied

) deeply absorbed in thought; "as distant and bemused as a professor listening to the prattling of his freshman class"; "lost in thought"; "a preoccupied frown" ;

2. (

• haunted ,
• obsessed ,
• preoccupied ,
• taken_up

) having or showing excessive or compulsive concern with something; "became more and more haunted by the stupid riddle"; "was absolutely obsessed with the girl"; "got no help from his wife who was preoccupied with the children"; "he was taken up in worry for the old woman" ;