2. The state or condition of being occupied; as, occupancy by more than 250 people is dangerous and unlawful. [ PJC ]

3. The period of time during which one occupies a property. [ PJC ]

Title by occupancy (Law), a right of property acquired by taking the first possession of a thing, or possession of a thing which belonged to nobody, and appropriating it. Blackstone. Kent. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ This word, in law, sometimes signifies one who takes the first possession of a thing that has no owner. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A prostitute. [ Obs. ] Marston. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. That which occupies or engages the time and attention. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

3. Specfically: The principal business of one's life; the principal work by which one earns one's livelihood; vocation; employment; profession; calling; trade; avocation; as, these days many people continue to practice their occupation well into their seventies. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

Absence of occupation is not rest. Cowper. [ 1913 Webster ]

Occupation bridge (Engin.), a bridge connecting the parts of an estate separated by a railroad, a canal, or an ordinary road. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Occupancy; possession; tenure; use; employment; avocation; engagement; vocation; calling; office; trade; profession. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Inhabited, lived-in, tenanted; having residents; -- of dwelling units. [ Narrower terms: owner-occupied ] WordNet 1.5 ]

3. Overrun, taken over; -- of countries or territories; as, occupied France. Opposite of unoccupied. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

4. Busy; actively or fully engaged in some activity; -- of people. Opposite of idle.
Syn. -- employed, engaged. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

2. One who follows an employment; hence, a tradesman. [ Obs. ] “Merchants and occupiers.” Holland. [ 1913 Webster ]

The occupiers of thy merchandise. Ezek. xxvii. 27. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To follow business; to traffic. [ 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 ]

1. To anticipate; to take before. [ Obs. ] “Fear preoccupateth it [ death ].” Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To prepossess; to prejudice. [ Obs. ] Sir H. Wotton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Anticipation of objections. [ R. ] South. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To prepossess; to engage, occupy, or engross the attention of, beforehand; hence, to prejudice. [ 1913 Webster ]

I Think it more respectful to the reader to leave something to reflections than to preoccupy his judgment. Arbuthnot. [ 1913 Webster ]