2 → see also owner-occupier
oc|cu|py ◆◆◇ /ɒ kjʊpa I / (occupies , occupying , occupied )
1 VERB The people who occupy a building or a place are the people who live or work there. □ [V n] There were over 40 tenants, all occupying one wing of the hospital. □ [V n] Land is, in most instances, purchased by those who occupy it.
2 V-PASSIVE If a room or something such as a seat is occupied , someone is using it, so that it is not available for anyone else. □ [be V -ed] Two-thirds of hospital beds are occupied by the elderly. □ [be V -ed] I saw three camp beds, two of which were occupied.
3 VERB If a group of people or an army occupies a place or country, they move into it, using force in order to gain control of it. □ [V n] U.S. forces now occupy a part of the country. □ [V -ed] …the occupied territories.
4 VERB If someone or something occupies a particular place in a system, process, or plan, they have that place. □ [V n] Men still occupy more positions of power than women.
5 VERB If something occupies you, or if you occupy yourself, your time, or your mind with it, you are busy doing that thing or thinking about it. □ [V n] Her parliamentary career has occupied all of her time. □ [V pron-refl + with ] He hurried to take the suitcases and occupy himself with packing the car. □ [V pron-refl] I would deserve to be pitied if I couldn't occupy myself. [Also V n + with ] ● oc|cu|pied ADJ [v-link ADJ ] □ Keep the brain occupied. □ [+ with ] I had forgotten all about it because I had been so occupied with other things.
6 VERB If something occupies you, it requires your efforts, attention, or time. □ [V n] I had other matters to occupy me, during the day at least. □ [V n] This challenge will occupy Europe for a generation or more.
7 VERB If something occupies a particular area or place, it fills or covers it, or exists there. □ [V n] Even quite small aircraft occupy a lot of space. □ [V n] Bookshelves occupied most of the living room walls. SYNONYMS occupy VERB
1
inhabit: The valley is inhabited by the Dani tribe.
live in: She has lived in this house for ten years.
reside: All single full-time students must reside in university residence halls.
3
invade: The Romans and the Normans came to Britain as invading armies.
take over: The Belgians took over Rwanda under a League of Nations mandate.
capture: They now appear ready to capture more territory.
seize: Troops have seized the airport and railroad terminals.
oc|cur ◆◆◇ /əkɜː r / (occurs , occurring , occurred )
1 VERB When something occurs , it happens. □ [V ] If headaches only occur at night, lack of fresh air and oxygen is often the cause. □ [V ] The crash occurred when the crew shut down the wrong engine. □ In March 1770, there occurred what became known as the Boston Massacre.
2 VERB When something occurs in a particular place, it exists or is present there. □ [V adv/prep] The cattle disease occurs more or less anywhere in Africa where the fly occurs. □ [V adv/prep] These snails do not occur on low-lying coral islands or atolls.
3 VERB [no passive, no cont] If a thought or idea occurs to you, you suddenly think of it or realize it. □ [V to n to-inf] It did not occur to me to check my insurance policy. □ [V + to ] The same idea had occurred to Elizabeth. USAGE occur
Don’t say that a planned event ‘occurs’ or ‘happens’. Say that it takes place . □ The first meeting of this committee took place on 9 January. SYNONYMS occur VERB 1
happen: We cannot say for sure what will happen.
take place: The discussion took place in a famous villa on the lake's shore.
come about: That came about when we went to Glastonbury last year.
oc|cur|rence /əkʌ rəns, [AM ] -kɜː r-/ (occurrences )
1 N‑COUNT An occurrence is something that happens. [FORMAL ] □ Complaints seemed to be an everyday occurrence. □ The food queues have become a daily occurrence across the country.
2 N‑COUNT The occurrence of something is the fact that it happens or is present. □ [+ of ] The greatest occurrence of coronary heart disease is in those over 65.
ocean ◆◇◇ /oʊ ʃ ə n/ (oceans )
1 N‑SING The ocean is the sea. □ There were few sights as beautiful as the calm ocean on a warm night.
2 N‑COUNT An ocean is one of the five very large areas of sea on the Earth's surface. □ They spent many days cruising the northern Pacific Ocean. □ …the Indian Ocean.
3 N‑COUNT If you say that there is an ocean of something, you are emphasizing that there is a very large amount of it. [INFORMAL , EMPHASIS ] □ [+ of ] I had cried oceans of tears. □ [+ of ] APEC seems be drowning in an ocean of jargon.
4 PHRASE If you say that something is a drop in the ocean , you mean that it is a very small amount which is unimportant compared to the cost of other things or is so small that it has very little effect on something. [EMPHASIS ] □ His fee is a drop in the ocean compared with the real cost of broadcasting. SYNONYMS ocean NOUN 1