Engelska

preoccupy

gb/pɹiˈɑkjəpˌaɪ/ us/pɹiˈɑkjəpˌaɪ/
C1 Engelska
Betydelser
0 betydelser
Verb C1 action
1

fill someone’s mind

If something preoccupies you, you think about it a lot and it is hard to think about other things.

Användningsmönster: [something] preoccupies [someone]
Vanligt misstag:
Don’t use it for physically ‘taking a seat/room’; that is usually occupy, not preoccupy.
Synonymer
absorb (More general; can be mental or physical attention.) | engross (Often stronger, suggesting total attention.) | consume (Emphasizes intensity, often worries or emotions.)
Antonymer
relieve (To remove a worry or burden, leaving the mind freer.) | unburden (To free someone from something troubling them.)
Ordkombinationer
be preoccupied with work |be preoccupied with money |be preoccupied with appearance |be preoccupied with the future |be preoccupied with problems |be preoccupied with thoughts |be preoccupied by worries |a preoccupying thought |preoccupy someone's mind |preoccupy someone's thoughts
Teman
emotions |mind |daily_life |work
Exempel
  • The upcoming interview preoccupied her all weekend.
  • He seemed distracted in class, preoccupied by problems at home.
  • Questions about money have preoccupied the team for months.
Exempel för inlärare
  • I was preoccupied with my exam.
  • The news preoccupied him all day.
Verb formal C2 action
2

take over a place first

To take a place before others can.

Användningsmönster: [someone] preoccupies [place]
Vanligt misstag:
This meaning is uncommon in everyday English; most of the time, use occupy.
Synonymer
occupy (The common modern verb; does not necessarily imply ‘before others’.) | seize (Stronger; suggests force or sudden action.)
Antonymer
vacate (To leave a place so it is no longer occupied.) | abandon (To leave something behind, often permanently.)
Ordkombinationer
preoccupy a territory |preoccupy a region |preoccupy the land |preoccupy a position |preoccupy a seat
Teman
history |politics |law
Exempel
  • In some accounts, the valley was preoccupied by settlers before the official survey.
  • The group tried to preoccupy key positions along the route before dawn.
Grammatik
Grundform
preoccupy
IPA
GB/pɹiˈɑkjəpˌaɪ/
US/pɹiˈɑkjəpˌaɪ/
Stavelser och betoning
pre - oc - cupy (3 stavelser)
Stress on 2nd syllable (oc)
Ordformer
Verb
  • Base: preoccupy
  • 3rd Person Singular: preoccupies
  • Present Participle: preoccupying
  • Past: preoccupied
Ordfamilj
Forms
preoccupies verb preoccupying verb preoccupied verb
Core family
preoccupation noun C1
Related words
occupy verb B1 occupation noun A2 occupant noun B1 occupational adjective B2
Negative and opposite forms
unoccupied adjective B2
Advanced or less common
occupancy noun B2
Uttryck

be preoccupied with [something]

1
/bˈi pɹiˈɑkjəpˌaɪd wˈɪθ sˈʌmθɪŋ/
fixed phrase

be busy thinking about something

If you are preoccupied with something, you keep thinking about it.

Exempel
  • She’s been preoccupied with her new job lately.
  • I was so preoccupied with the deadline that I forgot to eat lunch.
  • He looked preoccupied with something, but he wouldn’t say what.

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