En·gross v. t. [imp. & p. p. Engrossed p. pr. & vb. n. Engrossing.]
1. To make gross, thick, or large; to thicken; to increase in bulk or quantity. [Obs.]
Waves . . . engrossed with mud. --Spenser.
Not sleeping, to engross his idle body. --Shak.
2. To amass. [Obs.]
To engross up glorious deeds on my behalf. --Shak.
3. To copy or write in a large hand (en gross, i. e., in large); to write a fair copy of in distinct and legible characters; as, to engross a deed or like instrument on parchment.
Some period long past, when clerks engrossed their stiff and formal chirography on more substantial materials. --Hawthorne.
Laws that may be engrossed on a finger nail. --De Quincey.
4. To seize in the gross; to take the whole of; to occupy the attention completely; to absorb; as, the subject engrossed all his thoughts.
5. To purchase either the whole or large quantities of, for the purpose of enhancing the price and making a profit; hence, to take or assume in undue quantity, proportion, or degree; as, to engross commodities in market; to engross power.
Engrossed bill Legislation, one which has been plainly engrossed on parchment, with all its amendments, preparatory to final action on its passage.
Engrossing hand Penmanship, a fair, round style of writing suitable for engrossing legal documents, legislative bills, etc.
Syn: -- To absorb; swallow up; imbibe; consume; exhaust; occupy; forestall; monopolize. See Absorb.
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engrossed
adj 1: wholly absorbed as in thought; "deep in thought"; "that
engrossed look or rapt delight"; "the book had her
totally engrossed"; "enwrapped in dreams"; "so intent
on this fantastic...narrative that she hardly
stirred"- Walter de la Mare; "rapt with wonder";
"wrapped in thought" [syn: absorbed, enwrapped, intent,
rapt, wrapped]
2: written formally in a large clear script, as a deed or other
legal document