preoccupied

comparative more preoccupied · superlative most preoccupied

1. Concerned with something else; distracted; giving one's attention elsewhere.First known use 19th c.

   I was preoccupied with a deadline at work, and I forgot his birthday.

2. archaicAlready occupied.

   Scythrop, retiring to his tower, found his study preoccupied.

   1818, Thomas Love Peacock, Nightmare Abbey, section X

   2 more examples

   Terrified at this uproar, which disconcerted the magician himself, she ran for shelter into the place which was preoccupied by the other lady […].

   1751, Tobias Smollett, The Adventures of Peregrine Pickle

   Presently the gudeman […] with much bowing and many respectful compliments, managed to tell the guest that the room was preoccupied for that night, as two dykers had come and, according to prearrangement, were to sleep in the bed!

   1888, William Angus Knight, Principal Shairp and His Friends, John Murray, page 358

3. obsoletePrepossessed; biased.First known use 16th–17th c.
4. not comparablebiologyDescribing a taxonomic name not available for use because it is already used for another.First known use 18th c.

   In 1924 J. D. Tothill revised the nearctic species in the genus Fabriciella, a name proposed by Bezzi in 1906 to replace Fabricia Rob. D. which is preoccupied.

   1931, John Allen Rowe, “A revision of the males of the nearctic species in the genus Fabriciella (Tachinidae)”, in Annals of the Entomological Society of America, volume 24

1. participlepastsimple past and past participle of preoccupy