Topic: MILITARY
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| Date: | 1300-1400 |
| Language: | French |
| Origin: | occuper, from Latin occupare |
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oc‧cu‧py S3 W2
past tense and past participle occupied, present participle occupying, third person singular occupies [transitive]
past tense and past participle occupied, present participle occupying, third person singular occupies [transitive]1 to live or stay in a place : He occupies the house without paying any rent. The building was purchased and occupied by its new owners last year.
stay in a place
He occupies the house without paying any rent.The building was purchased and occupied by its new owners last year.2 if something occupies you or your time, you are busy doing it : Football occupies most of my leisure time.
fill time
Football occupies most of my leisure time. occupy somebody with (doing) something Only six percent of police time is occupied with criminal incidents.
Only six percent of police time is occupied with criminal incidents.3 to enter a place in a large group and keep control of it, especially by military force [↪ invade]: an occupying army Students occupied Sofia university on Monday.
control by force
PMan occupying armyStudents occupied Sofia university on Monday.4 to fill a particular amount of space : Family photos occupied almost the entire wall.
fill space
Family photos occupied almost the entire wall.5 if something occupies your mind etc, you think about that thing more than anything else [↪ preoccupy]: Work will occupy your mind and help you forget about him.
occupy somebody's mind/thoughts/attention
Work will occupy your mind and help you forget about him.6 to use something such as a room, seat, or bed : Many patients who are occupying hospital beds could be transferred to other places.
use
Many patients who are occupying hospital beds could be transferred to other places.7 to have an official position or job : Before becoming prime minister, he had already occupied several cabinet posts.
official position
BOPGOBefore becoming prime minister, he had already occupied several cabinet posts.