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.
© Webster 1913.