/ ˈɒkjupaɪ; NAmE ˈɑːk-/ verb ( oc·cu·pies , oc·cu·py·ing , oc·cu·pied , oc·cu·pied )
1.
[ vn ] to fill or use a space, an area or an amount of time
SYN take up :
The bed seemed to occupy most of the room.
How much memory does the program occupy?
Administrative work occupies half of my time.
2.
[ vn ] ( formal ) to live or work in a room, house or building :
He occupies an office on the 12th floor.
3.
[ vn ] to enter a place in a large group and take control of it, especially by military force :
The capital has been occupied by the rebel army.
Protesting students occupied the TV station.
4.
occupy sb/sth / yourself (in doing sth / with sb/sth) to fill your time or keep you busy doing sth :
[ vn ]
a game that will occupy the kids for hours
She occupied herself with routine office tasks.
Problems at work continued to occupy his mind for some time.
[also vn -ing ]
5.
[ vn ] to have an official job or position
SYN hold :
The president occupies the position for four years.
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WORD ORIGIN
Middle English : formed irregularly from Old French occuper , from Latin occupare seize. A now obsolete vulgar sense have sexual relations with seems to have led to the general avoidance of the word in the 17th and most of the 18th cent.