occupy

American  

[ok-yuh-pahy] / ˈɒk yəˌpaɪ /

verb (used with object)

occupied, occupying

1. to take or fill up (space, time, etc.).

   I occupied my evenings reading novels.

2. to engage or employ the mind, energy, or attention of.

   Occupy the children with a game while I prepare dinner.

   Synonyms:

   busy, use

3. to be a resident or tenant of; dwell in.

   We occupied the same house for 20 years.

4. to hold (a position, office, etc.).

5. to take possession and control of (a place), as by military invasion.

   Synonyms:

   seize, capture

6. Usually Occupy to participate in a protest about (a social or political issue), as by taking possession or control of buildings or public places that are symbolic of the issue.

   Let’s Occupy our voting rights!

   The Occupy Wall Street movement of late 2011 was a protest against economic inequality.

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verb (used without object)

occupied, occupying

1. to take or hold possession.

2. Usually Occupy to participate in a protest about a social or political issue.

adjective

1. Usually Occupy of or relating to a protest about a social or political issue, as in Occupy movement, Occupy protest, and Occupy candidate:

   the Occupy movement for social justice.

occupy British  

/ ˈɒkjʊˌpaɪ /

verb

1. to live or be established in (a house, flat, office, etc)

2. (often passive) to keep (a person) busy or engrossed; engage the attention of

3. (often passive) to take up (a certain amount of time or space)

4. to take and hold possession of, esp as a demonstration

   students occupied the college buildings

5. to fill or hold (a position or rank)

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Related Words

See have.

Other Word Forms

• misoccupy verb
• occupiable adjective
• occupier noun
• reoccupy verb (used with object)

Etymology

Origin of occupy

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English occupien, from Middle French occuper, from Latin occupāre “to seize, take hold, take up, make one's own,” equivalent to oc- oc- + -cup-, combining form of capere “to take, seize” + -āre infinitive suffix

Example Sentences

This year, it took the coveted first weekend of awards season usually occupied by the Golden Globes, which will take place in Beverly Hills next weekend.

From Barron's

Moreover, it has hundreds of dine-in locations, which occupy larger footprints, are more costly to operate, and account for a shrinking slice of where people eat pizza.

From The Wall Street Journal

"This facility had been occupied by Daesh, most likely to store weapons and explosives. The area around the facility is devoid of any civilian habitation," the statement added.

From Barron's

If switching off feels difficult, schedule something absorbing like exercise, seeing friends or doing something creative that fully occupies your attention.

From BBC

When asked by the BBC for comment, Ukraine said it would not directly respond to sources of information such as claims from governors of occupied regions.

From BBC

Related Words

• cover
• establish
• fill
• hold
• inhabit
• involve
• keep
• maintain
• own
• populate
• remain
• sit
• stay