pos|sess

pos|sess
pos|sess «puh ZEHS», transitive verb.
1. to own; have as belonging to one: »

Washington possessed great force and wisdom.

2. a) to hold as property; hold; occupy: »

The first settlers in America possessed great tracts of land that they were to give to other settlers to possess.

b) to hold as a tenant.
3. to influence strongly; control: »

She was possessed by a desire to be rich. ... a naturally taciturn man possessed by an idea (Joseph Conrad).

4. to control by an evil spirit: »

He fought like one possessed. Frank Carney's drama about a young Irish girl who is supernaturally possessed is exciting (New Yorker).

5. to maintain; keep: »

Possess your soul in patience.

6. Archaic. to take; win.
7. Obsolete. to put in possession of; give to.
[probably back formation < possession]

Useful english dictionary. 2012.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • pre´pos|sess´ing|ness — pre|pos|sess|ing «PREE puh ZEHS ihng», adjective. making a favorable first impression; attractive; pleasing: »a most prepossessing young man. Clean clothes and good manners are prepossessing. –pre´pos|sess´ing|ly, adverb. –pre´pos|sess´ing|ness,… …   Useful english dictionary

  • pre´pos|sess´ing|ly — pre|pos|sess|ing «PREE puh ZEHS ihng», adjective. making a favorable first impression; attractive; pleasing: »a most prepossessing young man. Clean clothes and good manners are prepossessing. –pre´pos|sess´ing|ly, adverb. –pre´pos|sess´ing|ness,… …   Useful english dictionary

  • pre|pos|sess|ing — «PREE puh ZEHS ihng», adjective. making a favorable first impression; attractive; pleasing: »a most prepossessing young man. Clean clothes and good manners are prepossessing. –pre´pos|sess´ing|ly, adverb. –pre´pos|sess´ing|ness, noun …   Useful english dictionary

  • un´pre|pos|sess´ing|ness — un|pre|pos|sess|ing «UHN pree puh ZEHS ihng», adjective. not prepossessing; unattractive: »Unprepossessing…in feature, gait and manners…these poor fellows formed a class apart (Samuel Butler). –un´pre|pos|sess´ing|ly, adverb.… …   Useful english dictionary

  • un´pre|pos|sess´ing|ly — un|pre|pos|sess|ing «UHN pree puh ZEHS ihng», adjective. not prepossessing; unattractive: »Unprepossessing…in feature, gait and manners…these poor fellows formed a class apart (Samuel Butler). –un´pre|pos|sess´ing|ly, adverb.… …   Useful english dictionary

  • un|pre|pos|sess|ing — «UHN pree puh ZEHS ihng», adjective. not prepossessing; unattractive: »Unprepossessing…in feature, gait and manners…these poor fellows formed a class apart (Samuel Butler). –un´pre|pos|sess´ing|ly, adverb. –un´pre|pos|sess´ing|ness, noun …   Useful english dictionary

  • re|pos|sess — «REE puh ZEHS», transitive verb. 1. to possess again; get possession of again. SYNONYM(S): recover. 2. to put in possession again. –re´pos|ses´sion, noun …   Useful english dictionary

  • dis|pos|sess — «DIHS puh ZEHS», transitive verb. 1. to force to give up the possession of a house, land, or other real estate; oust: »The tenant was dispossessed for not paying his rent. SYNONYM(S): evict, remove, dislodge. 2. to take away from; deprive: »Fear… …   Useful english dictionary

  • pre|pos|sess — «PREE puh ZEHS», transitive verb. 1. to fill with a favorable feeling or opinion, especially beforehand or at the outset: »We were prepossessed by the boy s modest behavior. 2. to fill with a feeling or opinion: »The teacher…did not prepossess me …   Useful english dictionary

  • un|pos|sess|a|ble — «UHN puh ZEHS uh buhl», adjective. that cannot be possessed: »He did a paper on “The Unpossessable Loved One in Troubadour Poetry” (New Yorker) …   Useful english dictionary

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