English Meaning & Definitions
To occupy completely the attention or time of (someone); absorb fully.
- “The intricate plot of the novel completely engrossed her for hours.”
- “He was so engrossed in his work that he didn't notice the time passing.”
(Archaic, Law) To write or copy out (a document) in a large, clear hand; to produce a final, official copy of.
- “The clerk was tasked with engrossing the final draft of the treaty onto parchment.”
- “It took several days to engross all the legal documents for the new legislation.”
English Antonyms & Opposites
Comprehensive Thesaurus Breakdown
Compare formal, informal, literary synonyms and register nuances for “engross”.
Late Middle English: from Old French *engrosser* 'buy in gross', also 'make large', from *en-* 'in, on' + *gros* 'large'. The sense 'absorb' developed from the idea of 'taking up in a large quantity' or 'making something large' in the sense of occupying it completely.
Think of 'gross' as 'large amount' or 'total'. When something *engrosses* you, it takes up a *gross* (total, large) amount of your attention, making you completely absorbed.
Frequently Asked Questions About “engross”
1. What is the meaning of “engross” in English?
In English, engross (verb) is defined as: “To occupy completely the attention or time of (someone); absorb fully.”.
2. How do you use “engross” in a sentence?
“The intricate plot of the novel completely engrossed her for hours.”
3. What are English synonyms of “engross”?
4. What is the etymology and word origin of “engross”?
Late Middle English: from Old French *engrosser* 'buy in gross', also 'make large', from *en-* 'in, on' + *gros* 'large'. The sense 'absorb' developed from the idea of 'taking up in a large quantity' or 'making something large' in the sense of occupying it completely.
🇬🇧More English Words to English
View all English words →A measurement of time indicating an instantaneous occurrence or a state where no time has elapsed.
The base unit of time in the International System of Units (SI), equal to the duration of 9,192,631,770 periods of the radiation corresponding to the transition between the two hyperfine levels of the ground state of the caesium-133 atom.
A specific duration of time equal to one hour and forty-six minutes and twelve seconds.
The cardinal number equal to one thousand million (1,000,000,000), expressed in scientific notation as 10^9.