occupation

What it means

1. countableuncountableAn 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.

   With no particular appearance of regret Annesley Greatorex detached himself from the occupation of typing letters and came across to his employer's chair.

   1927, Ernest Bramah [pseudonym; Ernest Brammah Smith], Max Carrados Mysteries

   Synonyms: employment

2. countableuncountableThe 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.

   1960 February, R. C. Riley, “The London–Birmingham services – Past, Present and Future”, in Trains Illustrated, London: Ian Allan Publishing, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 98

3. countableuncountablegeopoliticsThe 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.

   1999, Linda Flavell, Roger Flavell, “1066[:] The Normans Begin to Erect Castles”, in dictionary of english down through the ages[:] words & phrases born out of historical events great & small, 2005 edition, London: Kyle Cathie Limited, →ISBN, page 17

   1 more example

   The lawyer and twice-divorced mother of three had presented herself as the modern face of her party, trying to strip it of unsavoury overtones after her father's convictions for saying the Nazi occupation of France was not "particularly inhumane".

   2012 April 23, Angelique Chrisafis, “François Hollande on top but far right scores record result in French election”, in The Guardian

In a sentence

With no particular appearance of regret Annesley Greatorex detached himself from the occupation of typing letters and came across to his employer's chair.

1927, Ernest Bramah [pseudonym; Ernest Brammah Smith], Max Carrados Mysteries

Where it comes from

1. Proto-Indo-European*kap-“to seize, grab”
2. Latinoccupātiō
3. Middle Frenchoccupacion
4. Middle Englishoccupacioun
5. Englishoccupation

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.