3 uses
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Definition
busy thinking about or doing something so that other things are not noticed or done
- I had observed some newspaper comment at the time, but I was exceedingly preoccupied by that little affair of the Vatican cameos, and in my anxiety to oblige the Pope I lost touch with several interesting English cases.Chapter 2 — The Curse of the Baskervilles (74% in)
- I prayed, as I walked back along the gray, lonely road, that my friend might soon be freed from his preoccupations and able to come down to take this heavy burden of responsibility from my shoulders.Chapter 7 — The Stapletons of Merripit House (21% in)
- However, the man is fortunately rather deaf, and he was entirely preoccupied in that which he was doing.Chapter 9 — Second Report of Dr. Watson (51% in)
There are no more uses of "preoccupied" in The Hound of the Baskervilles.
Typical Usage
(best examples)