occupy

oc|cu|py [ `akjə,paı ] verb transitive ***

▸ 1 use a place

▸ 2 be in control of place

▸ 3 have job/position

▸ 4 keep someone busy

▸ 5 regularly think about something

1. ) if someone occupies a room, building, area of land, seat, bed, or other place during a period of time, they use it:

The Smith family has occupied this farm for over a hundred years.

All the seats on the bus were occupied.

a ) if something occupies a space or period of time, it is present in it or fills it:

Warehouses occupied most of the site.

Commercial photography occupied much of his time.

2. ) to be in control of a place that you have entered in a group using military force:

The region was quickly occupied by foreign troops.

an occupying army/force

3. ) to have a particular job or position in an organization or system, especially an important one:

Members of the group occupy positions of power in the country.

4. ) to keep someone busy at an activity:

I need some way to occupy the kids for an hour.

keep someone occupied: You keep him occupied down here while I check upstairs.

be occupied with something: He's still fully occupied with writing his report.

occupy yourself (with something): You need to find something to occupy yourself with when you retire.

5. ) FORMAL if something occupies your mind, thoughts, or attention, or if it occupies you, you think about it a lot:

These thoughts occupied my mind, though I tried to sleep.

The problem has been occupying me all week.

be occupied with something: My mind's been too occupied with moving to think about a vacation.