▪ I. engrossing, vbl. n.
(ɛnˈgrəʊsɪŋ)
[f. engross v. + -ing1.]
The action of the verb engross.
1. The action of buying (any article) in large quantities with the view of obtaining a monopoly; the action of buying up (land).
| 1542 Brinklow Compl. ii. 10 The latyng and engrossing of..leassys. 1647 Clarendon Hist. Reb. (1702) I. iv. 250 The ingrossing Gunpowder, and suffering none to buy it without Licence. 1683 Burnet tr. More's Utopia 25 Restrain those engrossings of the Rich, that are as bad almost as Monopolies. 1776 Adam Smith W.N. I. iii. ii. 386 This original engrossing of uncultivated lands. |
b. fig. (See engross v. 4, 5.)
| 1597 Daniel Civ. Wares v. lxxii, Griev'd at such ingrossing of Command. 1625 Bacon Ess. Envy (Arb.) 514 An vnnecessary, and Ambitious Ingrossing of Businesse. 1694 Child Disc. Trade 39 The abatement of interest tends to the engrossing of trade into a few rich mens hands. |
2. The action of writing out a document in a fair or legal character. Also attrib.
| 1483 Act 1 Rich. III, c. 7, §1 After the engrossing of every Fine..the same Fine shall be openly and solemnly read. 1583 Golding Calvin on Deut. Pref. 5 The gathering of these sermons and the ingrosing of them faire again afterwarde. 1765 Blackstone Comm. I. 183 It..passes through the same forms as in the other house (except engrossing, which is already done). 1837 Lockhart Scott (1839) 196 A sort of flourish..adopted in engrossing as a safeguard against the intrusion of a forged line. 1875 Stubbs Const. Hist. III. xviii. 262 The enrolment and engrossing of the acts of parliament. |
| attrib. 1709 Steele Tatler No. 26. ¶4 All Ingrossing Work..is risen 3s. in the Pound for want of Hands. Mod. It was written in a sort of engrossing hand. |
▪ II. engrossing, ppl. a.
(ɛnˈgrəʊsɪŋ)
[f. as prec. + -ing2.]
That engrosses.
1. † a. That claims a large share; presumptuous, pretentious (obs. rare).
| a 1797 H. Walpole Mem. Geo. III (1845) I. vi. 84 A term so engrossing gave offence and handle to ridicule. |
b. That fully occupies or absorbs the attention, faculties, etc.
| 1820 Scott Abbot i, The engrossing nature of his occupation. 1825 Lytton Falkland 20, I had one deep, engrossing, yearning desire. 1875 Helps Ess., Aids Contentm. 12 An alternation of the engrossing pursuit. |
† 2. That makes gross or brutish. Obs. rare.
| a 1626 Bp. Andrewes Serm. vi. Repentance & Fast. 147 The Devil's only way, to rid Hypocrisie, by engrossing Epicurisme. |
Hence enˈgrossingly adv., in an engrossing manner. enˈgrossingness, the quality of being engrossing.
| 1835 New Monthly Mag. XLIV. 6, I intend to surprise the world whenever politics..draw less engrossingly on its attention. 1857 Fraser's Mag. LVI. 672 India has of late..engrossingly occupied the English mind. 1848 Tait's Mag. XV. 682 They temper in his mind the engrossingness of present things. |