Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of 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. Woe occupieth the fine [/end] of our gladness. --Chaucer. The better apartments were already occupied. --W. Irving. 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. 3. To possess or use the time or capacity of; to engage the service of; to employ; to busy. An archbishop may have cause to occupy more chaplains than six. --Eng. Statute (Hen. VIII. ) They occupied themselves about the Sabbath. --2 Macc. viii. 27. 4. To do business in; to busy one's self with. [Obs.] All the ships of the sea, with their mariners, were in thee to occupy the merchandise. --Ezek. xxvii. 9. Not able to occupy their old crafts. --Robynson (More's Utopia). 5. To use; to expend; to make use of. [Obs.] All the gold that was occupied for the work. --Ex. xxxviii. 24. They occupy not money themselves. --Robynson (More's Utopia). 6. To have sexual intercourse with. [Obs.] --Nares.
\Oc"cu*py\, v. i. 1. To hold possession; to be an occupant. ``Occupy till I come.'' --Luke xix. 13. 2. To follow business; to traffic.