occupation

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   the act of occupying or taking possession of a building

   occupation of a building without a certificate of occupancy is illegal

2. 2
   noun

   any activity that occupies a person's attention

   I missed the bell in my occupation with the computer game.

3. 3
   noun

   the period of time during which a place or position or nation is occupied

   during the German occupation of Paris

4. 4
   noun

   An activity or task with which one occupies oneself; usually specifically the productive activity, service, trade, or craft for which one is regularly paid; a job.

   1927, Ernest Bramah, Max Carrados Mysteries With no particular appearance of regret Annesley Greatorex detached himself from the occupation of typing letters and came across to his employer's chair.

5. 5
   noun

   The act, process or state of possessing a place.

   Last year it was announced that electrification of L.M.R. main lines was to be speeded up and that it would be essential for the engineers to have the longest possible occupation of the lines involved; this would mean some retrenchment of passenger train services.

6. 6
   noun

   The control of a nation or region by a hostile military or paramilitary force.

   The early years of Norman occupation saw a frenzy of castle building.

7. 7
   noun

   the principal activity in your life that you do to earn money

8. 8
   noun

   the control of a country by military forces of a foreign power

Etymology

From Middle English occupacioun, borrowed from Middle French occupacion, occupation, from Latin occupātiō, occupātiōnis, from occupō (“occupy, seize”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *kap- (“to seize, grab”). By surface analysis, occupy + -ation.