occupy

[ok-yuh-pahy]

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.

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

/ 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)

Other Word Forms

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of occupy¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of occupy¹

C14: from Old French occuper, from Latin occupāre to seize hold of, from ob- (intensive) + capere to take

Synonym Study

See have.

Example Sentences

Secondly, it also ensures that central areas behind the ball are occupied by good defenders, providing structural and individual defensive quality.

From BBC

And, for the first time, the three big offices of state below prime minister - home secretary, foreign secretary and chancellor - all occupied by women.

From BBC

Our family was formed largely by the 1926 “Hollywood Eclectic” house, with its steep pitched roof and turret, that we occupied on a scenic mountainside street in Mt.

From Los Angeles Times

While explaining that the paper used to occupy the whole building, employing over 1000 people, our frenemy Ken remarks, “That’s absolutely insane, if I do say so myself,” saucing each word with condescension.

From Salon

The upcoming exhibition at the Broad will feature 120 pieces of work, including sculpture, photography, painting, drawing and other ephemera, occupying the entire 10,000-square-foot ground floor.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

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