This is the 11848th most frequent Russian word.
занимало
"Занимало" means "occupied" or "took up" (referring to time or space).
The verb "занимало" here indicates the amount of time an activity required.
Эта задача занимала у меня много времени.
This task took me a lot of time.
The verb "занимало" signifies occupying an important position.
Книга занимала важное место в её жизни.
The book held an important place in her life.
The verb "занимало" refers to holding or capturing the focus.