The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2001-07.
engrossing
in English law, practice of acquiring a monopoly of goods in order to sell them at an inflated price. The offense was ordinarily limited to monopolies of foods. Related practices were forestalling, i.e., buying up food on the way to its normal markets, and regrating, i.e., gaining control of a commodity once it reaches the market. All these practices were declared criminal in 1844 in England. See monopoly.
