occupy

An occupy means to take control or possession of a place or situation.

When people think of the word "occupy", they often associate it with protests and demonstrations. For example, imagine you see a group of people sitting on the steps of a government building, holding signs and refusing to leave. They're occupying that space to bring attention to their cause. It's like they're saying, "We're not going anywhere until our voices are heard!" In some cases, occupy can also mean taking over an empty or abandoned place, like a house or a building, with the intention of fixing it up and making it usable again.