Crossword Genius

Get engrossed in homework with book pinched from female head? (10)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

prepossess

'get engrossed in' is the definition.
(to be prepossessed is to be engrossed in something)

'homework with book pinched from female head?' is the wordplay.
'homework' becomes 'prep' (synonyms).
'with' says to put letters next to each other.
'book' becomes 'b' (abbreviation for book).
'pinched from' is a deletion indicator.
'female head?' becomes 'bossess' (bossess could fancifully mean a female boss).
'bossess' with 'b' taken out is 'ossess'.
'prep'+'ossess'='PREPOSSESS'

(Other definitions for prepossess that I've seen before include "Influence" , "Bias favourably" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.
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