- Occupying
- 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.
[1913 Webster]
Woe occupieth the fine [end] of our gladness. --Chaucer. [1913 Webster]
The better apartments were already occupied. --W. Irving. [1913 Webster]
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. [1913 Webster]
3. To possess or use the time or capacity of; to engage the service of; to employ; to busy. [1913 Webster]
An archbishop may have cause to occupy more chaplains than six. --Eng. Statute (Hen. VIII. ) [1913 Webster]
They occupied themselves about the Sabbath. --2 Macc. viii. 27. [1913 Webster]
4. To do business in; to busy one's self with. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]
All the ships of the sea, with their mariners, were in thee to occupy the merchandise. --Ezek. xxvii. 9. [1913 Webster]
Not able to occupy their old crafts. --Robynson (More's Utopia). [1913 Webster]
5. To use; to expend; to make use of. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]
All the gold that was occupied for the work. --Ex. xxxviii. 24. [1913 Webster]
They occupy not money themselves. --Robynson (More's Utopia). [1913 Webster]
6. To have sexual intercourse with. [Obs.] --Nares. [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.