PREOC'CUPY, verb transitive [Latin proeoccupo; proe, before, and occupo, to seize.] 1. To take possession before another; as, to preoccupy a country or land not before occupied. 2. To prepossess; to occupy by anticipation or prejudices. I think it more respectful to the reader to leave something to reflections, than to preoccupy his judgment.
Source: Webster's 1828 American Dictionary ↗ · public-domain · returned verbatim, no AI