En*gross" (?), v. t. [imp. & p.
p. Engrossed (?); p. pr. & vb. n.
Engrossing.] [F., fr. pref. en- (L. in) +
gros gross, grosse, n., an engrossed document:
cf. OF. engrossir, engroissier, to make thick, large,
or gross. See Gross.] 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 wholly; 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.
