Possess

Possess
Possess Pos*sess" (?; 277), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Possessed}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Possessing}.] [L. possessus, p. p. of possidere to have, possess, from an inseparable prep. (cf. {Position}) + sedere to sit. See {Sit}.] 1. To occupy in person; to hold or actually have in one's own keeping; to have and to hold. [1913 Webster]

Houses and fields and vineyards shall be possessed again in this land. --Jer. xxxii. 15. [1913 Webster]

Yet beauty, though injurious, hath strange power, After offense returning, to regain Love once possessed. --Milton. [1913 Webster]

2. To have the legal title to; to have a just right to; to be master of; to own; to have; as, to possess property, an estate, a book. [1913 Webster]

I am yours, and all that I possess. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

3. To obtain occupation or possession of; to accomplish; to gain; to seize. [1913 Webster]

How . . . to possess the purpose they desired. --Spenser. [1913 Webster]

4. To enter into and influence; to control the will of; to fill; to affect; -- said especially of evil spirits, passions, etc. ``Weakness possesseth me.'' --Shak. [1913 Webster]

Those which were possessed with devils. --Matt. iv. 24. [1913 Webster]

For ten inspired, ten thousand are possessed. --Roscommon. [1913 Webster]

5. To put in possession; to make the owner or holder of property, power, knowledge, etc.; to acquaint; to inform; -- followed by of or with before the thing possessed, and now commonly used reflexively. [1913 Webster]

I have possessed your grace of what I purpose. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

Record a gift . . . of all he dies possessed Unto his son. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

We possessed our selves of the kingdom of Naples. --Addison. [1913 Webster]

To possess our minds with an habitual good intention. --Addison. [1913 Webster]

Syn: To have; hold; occupy; control; own.

Usage: {Possess}, {Have}. Have is the more general word. To possess denotes to have as a property. It usually implies more permanence or definiteness of control or ownership than is involved in having. A man does not possess his wife and children: they are (so to speak) part of himself. For the same reason, we have the faculties of reason, understanding, will, sound judgment, etc.: they are exercises of the mind, not possessions. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • possess — pos·sess /pə zes/ vt: to have possession of Merriam Webster’s Dictionary of Law. Merriam Webster. 1996. possess I …   Law dictionary

  • possess — pos‧sess [pəˈzes] verb [transitive] formal 1. to own or have something, especially something valuable or important, or something illegal: • The US is the only country that possesses global economic, military and political power. • Judges rarely… …   Financial and business terms

  • possess — mid 15c., to hold, occupy, reside in (without regard to ownership), from O.Fr. possessier (mid 13c.), from L. possess , pp. stem of possidere to possess. Meaning to hold as property is recorded from c.1500. Demonic sense is recorded from 1530s… …   Etymology dictionary

  • possess — [pə zes′] vt. [LME < MFr possessier < L possessus, pp. of possidere, to possess < pos , contr. < potis, able (see POTENT) + sedere, to sit] 1. to hold as property or occupy in person; have as something that belongs to one; own 2. to… …   English World dictionary

  • possess — own, enjoy, hold, *have Analogous words: control, manage, direct, *conduct: retain, *keep, reserve, withhold …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • possess — [v] have or obtain acquire, bear, be blessed with, be born with, be endowed with, carry, control, corner*, corner the market*, dominate, enjoy, get hands on*, get hold of*, grab, have to name*, hog*, hold, latch on to, lock up, maintain, occupy,… …   New thesaurus

  • possess — ► VERB 1) have as property; own. 2) (also be possessed of) have as an ability, quality, or characteristic. 3) (of a demon or spirit) have complete power over. 4) (of an emotion, idea, etc.) dominate the mind of. ● what possessed you? Cf. ↑ …   English terms dictionary

  • possess — possessor, n. possessorship, n. /peuh zes /, v.t. 1. to have as belonging to one; have as property; own: to possess a house and a car. 2. to have as a faculty, quality, or the like: to possess courage. 3. (of a spirit, esp. an evil one) to occupy …   Universalium

  • possess — [[t]pəze̱s[/t]] possesses, possessing, possessed 1) VERB: no passive If you possess something, you have it or own it. [V n] He was then arrested and charged with possessing an offensive weapon... [V n] He is said to possess a fortune o …   English dictionary

  • possess */*/*/ — UK [pəˈzes] / US verb [transitive] Word forms possess : present tense I/you/we/they possess he/she/it possesses present participle possessing past tense possessed past participle possessed 1) formal to own a physical object They were all found… …   English dictionary

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