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.
