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possess - Meaning and Examples

Meaning of 'possess' (Webster Dictionary)

1 . Possess [ v. t.]
- To occupy in person; to hold or actually have in one's own keeping; to have and to hold.
- 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.
- To obtain occupation or possession of; to accomplish; to gain; to seize.
- To enter into and influence; to control the will of; to fill; to affect; -- said especially of evil spirits, passions, etc.
- 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.

Meaning of 'possess' (Princeton's WordNet)

1 . possess [ v]
Meaning (1):
- enter into and control, as of emotions or ideas
Example in sentence:
  • A terrible rage possessed her;
  • What possessed you to buy this house?
Meaning (2):
- have ownership or possession of
Example in sentence:
  • He owns three houses in Florida;
  • How many cars does she have?
Meaning (3):
- have as an attribute, knowledge, or skill
Example in sentence:
  • he possesses great knowledge about the Middle East

Nearby Words:

pose posed poser posied posies posing posingly posit posited positing

See 'possess' also in:

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Related Definitions

  • Possession
    Possession is the feeling of being taken over by some external force .A common symptom of psychosis in our culture and religious ecstasy in others.
  • Possessions Corporation
    Possessions Corporation refers to a U.S. corporation, the subsidiary of another U.S. corporation, which for tax purposes is treated as if it were a foreign corporation.

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