c. 1400, "to buy up the whole stock of" (in Anglo-French from c. 1300), from Old French en gros "in bulk, in a large quantity, at wholesale," as opposed to en detail. See gross.
Figurative sense of "absorb the whole attention" is first attested 1709. A parallel engross, meaning "to write (something) in large letters," is from Anglo-French engrosser, from Old French en gros "in large (letters)." Related: Engrossed; engrossing.
权威例句
1. His paper would then engross his thoughts.
然后,他就会埋头看报了.
2. Gentlemen pay her attention , and engross her all to themselves.
先生们对她百般奉承,把她弄得神魂颠倒.
3. I'd go into bookshops and engross myself in diet books - and cookbooks.
我走进书店,聚精会神地读关于饮食的书 -- 以及食谱.
4. But self, though it would intrude, could not engross her.
她虽然难免想到自己, 却并不是完全只想到自己.
5. But Perdita seemed to engross all Leontes'attention.