occupiedoc‧cu‧pied /ˈɒkjəpaɪd $ ˈɑːk-/ adjective 
His time was occupied with the children. She’s fully occupied with work. The museum has enough exhibits to keep anyone occupied for an hour or two. I kept myself occupied by watching television.2[not before noun] a bed, chair, room etc that is occupied is being used: Sorry, this seat is occupied.3an occupied place is controlled by an army from another country: occupied territories
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- None of the flats is occupied - they've only just been built.
- Active, occupied children are less likely to get into trouble.
- Boulestin went to live in occupied Paris to be near his friend.
- The above method will be adequate in most cases, such as in occupied, heated buildings.
- The fertile lowlands are always the first places to be occupied and Java was no exception.
- There was serious unrest in the occupied territories on Dec. 12-13.
- There were tables, two empty, two occupied.
- These will turn your lights on and off automatically, giving the impression that your house is occupied.
Longman Language Activatorwhen a place has people living in it
an area of land or a building that is inhabited has people living in it: · Only two of the islands are inhabited.· This tiny town has been an inhabited area for over 3,000 years.
a building or room that is occupied has people living in it: · None of the flats is occupied - they've only just been built.
with people living there: · Bears are appearing more and more frequently in populated areasdensely/heavily populated (=having many people): · The north-east has always been more densely populated than the rest of the country.thinly/sparsely populated (=having few people): · French Guiana is a sparsely populated wilderness.
an area where there are houses where people live: · The museum is about 6 blocks from downtown in a quiet residential area.· London's main airport is surrounded by densely populated residential areas.
formal use this about a place that humans live in or have lived in in the past: · The only sign of human habitation was a charred area where there had once been a fire.
being used now if a room or machine is in use , it is being used by someone at the present time: · The meeting room is in use at the moment, so we'll have to go somewhere else.· All the photocopiers are in use. Could you come back later?
if seats, rooms, beds etc are occupied , they are being used and are therefore not available for anyone else to use: · All the chairs in the hall were occupied and at least 100 people had to stand.· We're having to turn patients away because all the beds are occupied.
if a seat in a train, theatre, restaurant etc is taken , it is not available because someone else is already sitting there or will be soon: · I'm sorry. This seat's taken.· There was nowhere to sit down in the hall. All the seats were taken.
British if a telephone line or a public toilet is engaged , someone else is using it: · Every time I try to call her, the line's engaged.· When the toilet is engaged, a red light shows above the door.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY She’s fully occupied with work. The museum has enough exhibits to keep anyone occupied for an hour or two. I kept myself occupied by watching television.COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES some toys to keep the kids amused
She’s fully occupied with work. The museum has enough exhibits to keep anyone occupied for an hour or two. I kept myself occupied by watching television. (=controlled by an army from another country)· For many years, Egypt was an occupied country.
some toys to keep the kids amused (=land that is controlled by a foreign country or its army)· America has always wanted Israel to give up some of the occupied territory.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSNOUN· By contrast opinion in the occupied territories concerning these other players was hardening rather than softening.· Eventually some pressure or need caused the migration of one or more into already occupied territory.· I re-emphasise that the policy of settlements in the occupied territories is a serious obstacle to a peace settlement.· During 1992 some 5,500 of the proposed 19,500 state housing units were to be constructed in occupied territories.· Little progress was reported during the talks, which were largely overshadowed by events in the occupied territories.· January 1990 events in occupied territories p. 37199.· This could last several years and might eventually lead to more talks to determine the final status of the occupied territories.
WORD FAMILYnounoccupationoccupantoccupancyadjectiveoccupiedverboccupy
1[not before noun] busy doing somethingoccupied with His time was occupied with the children. She’s fully occupied with work. The museum has enough exhibits to keep anyone occupied for an hour or two. I kept myself occupied by watching television.2[not before noun] a bed, chair, room etc that is occupied is being used: Sorry, this seat is occupied.3an occupied place is controlled by an army from another country: occupied territories