▪ I. ˈoccupying, vbl. n. Now rare exc. as gerund.
[f. prec. + -ing1.]
The action of the verb occupy, or that in which this action is embodied.
1. The taking or holding possession.
| 1472–3 Rolls of Parlt. VI. 28/1 That no persone be charged..for any entre or occupyenge of the said Lordshippes, Londes, Tenementez or othur premisses. |
† 2. A piece of land occupied or held; a holding.
| c 1449 Pecock Repr. v. xiii. 554 The same bildingis and her occupiyngis. 1577 Harrison England ii. xiii. (1877) i. 259 In the woodland countries..they [houses] stand scattered abroad, each one dwelling in the midst of his owne occupieng. |
b. Residence in a place as its tenant. Chiefly attrib.
| 1884 Gladstone Sp. 28 Feb., The proportion of occupying franchises..to the property franchises. 1884 Daily News 24 Sept. 6/2 His views on peasant proprietary and occupying ownership. |
3. The action of engaging or busying, or fact of being engaged in or busy about something; † that which occupies one, or in which one is engaged; occupation, business; trade, traffic.
| c 1380 Wyclif Wks. (1880) 104 Þei suffren cristene soulis be stranglid wiþ woluys of helle þorouȝ here doumbnesse and occupiynge aboute þe world. 1548 Act 2 & 3 Edw. VI, c. 13 §11 Anye parishe..uppon..þe Sea costes, the commodities and occupyinge whereof consisteth chieflye in fysshinge. 1582 N. T. (Rhem.) Luke xix. 15 How much every man had gained by occupying. 1588 J. Mellis Briefe Instr. B viij, A butcher might sell you..all the felles, hides and tallowe growing and comming by his occupying. |
† b. Carrying on, practice (of something). Obs.
| 1547 Nottingham Rec. IV. 92 For okypying of comyn skowddyng [scolding]. 1550 Bale Apol. 42 A full exercysed craftesman in that occupyeng of mischefe. |
† 4. Using, use, employment (see also prec. 8).
| 1535 Coverdale Num. iv. 26 The altare and their cordes and all that belongeth to their occupienge. 1540 R. Hyrde tr. Vives' Instr. Chr. Wom. U vj, By hir diligence & occupying of wooll, hir house shal lack nothing. 1544 Stalbridge Epistle 22 b, From the fylthy occupying of an harlot he cometh strayght to the Aultre. 1579 Gosson Apol. Sch. Abuse (Arb.) 72 Iron with much occupiying, is worne too naught. |
▪ II. ˈoccupying, ppl. a.
[f. as prec. + -ing2.]
That occupies (see the verb); usually, That actually holds or resides in (a place or piece of land). occupying power, a state whose army occupies (part of) a foreign country; used spec. with ref. to the occupation of Germany after the war of 1939–45.
| 1552 Huloet, Occupyinge, occupans. 1780 A. Young Tour Irel. II. 141 The occupying tenants have from 15 to 100 acres. 1887 J. Ball Nat. in S. Amer. ii. 57 To protect the occupying army from this danger. 1887 Spectator 16 Apr. 532/1 The extinction of great landlords and the creation of occupying owners. 1946 Ann. Reg. 1945 452/1 (Index) Germany,..Legislation by occupying powers. 1959 Observer 22 Mar. 1/2 Nuclear weapons..would be in the hands of the occupying Powers and never pass into German control. 1965 A. J. P. Taylor Eng. Hist. 1914–45 xvi. 594 The Allied leaders..reached agreement of a kind over the reparations which each of the occupying Powers could exact from its zone of Germany. 1975 J. Cleary Safe House i. 26 The need to show the Occupying Powers that..they were not going to favour Nazis and ex-Nazis. |