Prepossess

Prepossess
Prepossess Pre`pos*sess", v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Prepossessed}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Prepossessing}.] [1913 Webster] 1. To preoccupy, as ground or land; to take previous possession of. --Dryden. [1913 Webster]

2. To preoccupy, as the mind or heart, so as to preclude other things; hence, to bias or prejudice; to give a previous inclination to, for or against anything; esp., to induce a favorable opinion beforehand, or at the outset. [1913 Webster]

It created him enemies, and prepossessed the lord general. --Evelyn. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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Synonyms:
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Look at other dictionaries:

  • prepossess — index forejudge, preconceive, slant Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • prepossess — 1610s, to get possession of beforehand, from PRE (Cf. pre ) + POSSESS (Cf. possess). Meaning to possess (a person) beforehand with a feeling, notion, etc. is from 1630s; specifically, to cause (someone) to have a favorable opinion of something… …   Etymology dictionary

  • prepossess — [prē΄pə zes′] vt. 1. Obs. to take or occupy beforehand or before another 2. to preoccupy beforehand to the exclusion of later thoughts, feelings, etc. 3. to prejudice or bias, esp. favorably 4. to impress favorably at once prepossession n …   English World dictionary

  • prepossess unfavorably — index prejudice (influence) Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • prepossess — transitive verb Date: 1614 1. obsolete to take previous possession of 2. to cause to be preoccupied 3. to influence beforehand especially favorably …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • prepossess — /pree peuh zes /, v.t. 1. to possess or dominate mentally beforehand, as a prejudice does. 2. to prejudice or bias, esp. favorably. 3. to impress favorably beforehand or at the outset. [1605 15; PRE + POSSESS] * * * …   Universalium

  • prepossess — verb a) To preoccupy, as ground or land; to take previous possession of. b) To preoccupy, as the mind or heart, so as to preclude other things; hence, to bias or prejudice; to give a previous inclination to, for or against anything; esp., to… …   Wiktionary

  • prepossess — Synonyms and related words: absorb, adopt, appropriate, arrogate, assume, bend, bias, busy, colonize, conquer, distort, engage, engross, enslave, hog, imbue, immerse, indent, influence, involve, jaundice, jump a claim, make free with, make use of …   Moby Thesaurus

  • prepossess — (Roget s Thesaurus II) verb To cause to have a prejudiced view: bias, jaundice, prejudice, warp. See AFFECT, STRAIGHT …   English dictionary for students

  • prepossess — pre·pos·sess || ‚prɪːpÉ™ zes v. acquire confidence, acquire trust; impress beforehand …   English contemporary dictionary

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