ENGROSSMENT • DICTIONARY ONE.COM • Definition of Engrossment

... mask of his face he cursed himself heartily for his self-absorption of the morning, which had led him entirely to lose sight of Mr. Higginson's activities last night. He had fully meant to search out that "winning" old man on his excursion to the town, but in his engrossment over the more important duty of the day, the matter had dropped completely from his mind. That the old spy had somehow ferreted out their secret was now too plain to admit a doubt. But what conceivable use did he mean ...

— Captivating Mary Carstairs • Henry Sydnor Harrison