Definition: occupy

Search dictionary for

Source: WordNet (r) 1.7

occupy
     v 1: be present in; be inside of [syn: inhabit]
     2: keep busy with; "She busies herself with her butterfly
        collection" [syn: busy]
     3: live (in a certain place) [syn: reside, lodge in]
     4: occupy the whole of; "The liquid fills the container" [syn:
        fill]
     5: be on the mind of; "What is worrying you?" [syn: concern,
        interest, worry]
     6: as of time or space: "It took three hours to get to work
        this morning"; "This event occupied a very short time"
        [syn: take, use up]
     7: march aggressively into another's territory by military
        force for the purposes of conquest and occupation; "Hitler
        invaded Poland on September 1, 1939" [syn: invade]
     8: engage or engross wholly; "Her interest in butterflies
        absorbs her completely" [syn: absorb, engross, engage]

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Occupy \Oc"cu*py\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Occupied; p. pr. & vb.
   n. Occupying.] [OE. occupien, F. occuper, fr.L. occupare;
   ob (see Ob-) + a word akin to capere to take. See
   Capacious.]
   1. To take or hold possession of; to hold or keep for use; to
      possess.

            Woe occupieth the fine [/end] of our gladness.
                                                  --Chaucer.

            The better apartments were already occupied. --W.
                                                  Irving.

   2. To hold, or fill, the dimensions of; to take up the room
      or space of; to cover or fill; as, the camp occupies five
      acres of ground. --Sir J. Herschel.

   3. To possess or use the time or capacity of; to engage the
      service of; to employ; to busy.

            An archbishop may have cause to occupy more
            chaplains than six.                   --Eng. Statute
                                                  (Hen. VIII. )

            They occupied themselves about the Sabbath. --2
                                                  Macc. viii.
                                                  27.

   4. To do business in; to busy one's self with. [Obs.]

            All the ships of the sea, with their mariners, were
            in thee to occupy the merchandise.    --Ezek. xxvii.
                                                  9.

            Not able to occupy their old crafts.  --Robynson
                                                  (More's
                                                  Utopia).

   5. To use; to expend; to make use of. [Obs.]

            All the gold that was occupied for the work. --Ex.
                                                  xxxviii. 24.

            They occupy not money themselves.     --Robynson
                                                  (More's
                                                  Utopia).

   6. To have sexual intercourse with. [Obs.] --Nares.
Occupy \Oc"cu*py\, v. i.
   1. To hold possession; to be an occupant. ``Occupy till I
      come.'' --Luke xix. 13.

   2. To follow business; to traffic.