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Definition of possess - 5 dictionary results

pos⋅sess

  [puh-zes]
Use possess in a Sentence
–verb (used with object)
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, dominate, or control (a person) from within: He thought he was possessed by devils.
4. (of a feeling, idea, etc.) to dominate or actuate in the manner of such a spirit: He was possessed by envy.
5. (of a man) to succeed in having sexual intercourse with.
6. to have knowledge of: to possess a language.
7. to keep or maintain (oneself, one's mind, etc.) in a certain state, as of peace, patience, etc.
8. to maintain control over (oneself, one's mind, etc.).
9. to impart to; inform; familiarize (often fol. by of or with): to possess someone of the facts of the case.
10. to cause to be dominated or influenced, as by an idea, feeling, etc.
11. to make (someone) owner, holder, or master, as of property, information, etc.: He possessed them of the facts.
12. to seize or take.
13. to gain or win.
14. to occupy or hold.
Origin:
1425–75; late ME possesen < MF possess(i)er, n. deriv. of possession possession

Related forms:
pos⋅ses⋅sor, noun
pos⋅ses⋅sor⋅ship, noun

Synonyms:
1. See have.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To possess
pos·sess   (pə-zěs')   
tr.v.   pos·sessed, pos·sess·ing, pos·sess·es
  1. To have as property; own.
  2. To have as a quality, characteristic, or other attribute: possessed great tact.
  3. To acquire mastery of or have knowledge of: possess valuable data.
    1. To gain or exert influence or control over; dominate: Fury possessed me.
    2. To control or maintain (one's nature) in a particular condition: I possessed my temper despite the insult.
  5. To cause to own, hold, or master something, such as property or knowledge: She possessed herself of the unclaimed goods.
  6. To cause to be influenced or controlled, as by an idea or emotion: The thought of getting rich possessed him.
  7. Obsolete To gain or seize.

[Middle English possessen, from Old French possesser, from Latin possidēre, possess- : pos-, as master; see poti- in Indo-European roots + sedēre, to sit; see sed- in Indo-European roots.]
pos·ses'sor n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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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.

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

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

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.

I am yours, and all that I possess. --Shak.

3. To obtain occupation or possession of; to accomplish; to gain; to seize.

How . . . to possess the purpose they desired. --Spenser.

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.

Those which were possessed with devils. --Matt. iv. 24.

For ten inspired, ten thousand are possessed. --Roscommon.

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.

I have possessed your grace of what I purpose. --Shak.

Record a gift . . . of all he dies possessed Unto his son. --Shak.

We possessed our selves of the kingdom of Naples. --Addison.

To possess our minds with an habitual good intention. --Addison.

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.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : possess
Spanish: poseer, tener en su haber, tener,
German: besitzen,
Japanese: 所有する
More Translations »

possess 
1483, "to hold, occupy, reside in" (without regard to ownership), from O.Fr. possessier (1269), from L. possess-, pp. stem of possidere "to possess." Meaning "to hold as property" is recorded from c.1500. Demonic sense is recorded from 1534 (implied in possessed). Possessive first attested 1530 in grammatical sense.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Main Entry: pos·sess
Pronunciation: p&-'zes
Function: transitive verb
: to have possession of
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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