different between preoccupy vs fascinate

English

Etymology

From pre- +? occupy, after Middle French preoccuper, and its source, Latin praeoccupo, praeoccupare. Doublet of preoccupate, now obsolete.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /p????kjupa?/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /p?i??kjupa?/

Verb

preoccupy (third-person singular simple present preoccupies, present participle preoccupying, simple past and past participle preoccupied)

1. (transitive) To distract; to occupy or draw attention elsewhere. [from 16th c.]
2. (transitive, obsolete) To occupy or take possession of beforehand. [16th–19th c.]
   • 1751, Tobias Smollett, The Adventures of Peregrine Pickle, vol. III, ch. 91:

     Terrified at this uproar, […] she ran for shelter into the place which was pre-occupied by the other lady […] .

Related terms

• preoccupation

Translations

English

Etymology

From Latin fascin?tus, perfect passive participle of fascin? (“enchant, bewitch, fascinate”), from fascinum (“a phallus-shaped amulet worn around the neck used in Ancient Rome; witchcraft”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?fæs?ne?t/

Verb

fascinate (third-person singular simple present fascinates, present participle fascinating, simple past and past participle fascinated)

1. To evoke an intense interest or attraction in someone.

2. To make someone hold motionless; to spellbind.
3. To be irresistibly charming or attractive to.

Derived terms

• fascinating

Related terms

• fascination

Translations

Italian

Noun

fascinate f

1. plural of fascinata

Latin

Verb

fascin?te

1. second-person plural present active imperative of fascin?