preoccupy

[ pree-ok-yuh-pahy ]

/ priˈɒk yəˌpaɪ /

to absorb or engross to the exclusion of other things.

to occupy beforehand or before others.

Origin of preoccupy

First recorded in 1560–70; pre- + occupy

pre·oc·cu·pi·er, noun o·ver·pre·oc·cu·py, verb (used with object), o·ver·pre·oc·cu·pied, o·ver·pre·oc·cu·py·ing.

“They” want to “stop us from talking about subjects that preoccupy you,” he argued.

Why Toulouse Terror Fears Won’t Help Sarkozy With Voters |Tracy McNicoll |March 30, 2012 |DAILY BEAST
Other friends would come in and preoccupy her mind and heart.

The Major |Ralph Connor
We should forget our successes if they cause pride or preoccupy the mind.

Character and Conduct |Various
And certainly he had enough to excite and preoccupy him just now.

The Clique of Gold |Emile Gaboriau

She expostulated earnestly with him on the folly of allowing money cares and ambitions to preoccupy him.

Mary Wollstonecraft |Elizabeth Robins Pennell
We should not preoccupy the audience with our own personality.

Delsarte System of Oratory |Various

preoccupy

/ (priːˈɒkjʊˌpaɪ) /

to engross the thoughts or mind of

to occupy before or in advance of another

C16: from Latin praeoccupāre to capture in advance, from prae before + occupāre to seize, take possession of