possess

[Pos*sess·]

To possess something is to have or own it. You can possess a physical object, you can possess a particular quality or skill, or you can possess control or influence over someone.

...

To occupy in person; to hold or actually have in one's own keeping; to have and to hold.

Verb
have ownership or possession of; "He owns three houses in Florida"; "How many cars does she have?"

Verb
have as an attribute, knowledge, or skill; "he possesses great knowledge about the Middle East"

Verb
enter into and control, as of emotions or ideas; "What possessed you to buy this house?"; "A terrible rage possessed her"

v. t.
To occupy in person; to hold or actually have in one's own keeping; to have and to hold.

v. t.
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.

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

v. t.
To enter into and influence; to control the will of; to fill; to affect; -- said especially of evil spirits, passions, etc.

v. t.
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.

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.

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

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.

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

How . . . to possess the purpose they desired.

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.

For ten inspired, ten thousand are possessed.

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.

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

We possessed our selves of the kingdom of Naples.

To possess our minds with an habitual good intention.

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

To occupy in person; to hold or actually have in one's own keeping; to have and to hold.

...

Usage Examples

Each of us have things and thoughts and descriptions of an amazing universe in our possession that kings in the 17th Century would have gone to war to possess.

Admiration for a quality or an art can be so strong that it deters us from striving to possess it.

Dreams can become a reality when we possess a vision that is characterized by the willingness to work hard, a desire for excellence, and a belief in our right and our responsiblity to be equal members of society.

Education is what most receive, many pass on, and few possess.

All that I say is, examine, inquire. Look into the nature of things. Search out the grounds of your opinions, the for and against. Know why you believe, understand what you believe, and possess a reason for the faith that is in you.

Americans need never fear their government because of the advantage of being armed, which the Americans possess over the people of almost every other nation.

God hates violence. He has ordained that all men fairly possess their property, not seize it.

An emotional man may possess no humor, but a humorous man usually has deep pockets of emotion, sometimes tucked away or forgotten.

Misspelled Form

possess, opossess, 0possess, lpossess, oossess, 0ossess, lossess, poossess, p0ossess, plossess, piossess, p9ossess, p0ossess, ppossess, plossess, pissess, p9ssess, p0ssess, ppssess, plssess, poissess, po9ssess, po0ssess, popssess, polssess, poassess, powssess, poessess, podssess, poxssess, pozssess, poasess, powsess, poesess, podsess, poxsess, pozsess, posasess, poswsess, posesess, posdsess, posxsess, poszsess, posasess, poswsess, posesess, posdsess, posxsess, poszsess, posaess, poswess, poseess, posdess, posxess, poszess, possaess, posswess, posseess, possdess, possxess, posszess, posswess, poss3ess, poss4ess, possress, posssess, possdess, posswss, poss3ss, poss4ss, possrss, posssss, possdss, possewss, posse3ss, posse4ss, posserss, possesss, possedss, posseass, possewss, posseess, possedss, possexss, possezss, posseas, possews, possees, posseds, possexs, possezs, possesas, possesws, posseses, possesds, possesxs, posseszs, possesas, possesws, posseses, possesds, possesxs, posseszs, possesa, possesw, possese, possesd, possesx, possesz, possessa, possessw, possesse, possessd, possessx, possessz.

Other Usage Examples

But some actors I have met possess an intelligence that I can only dream of. It's about character, it's about behavior. They understand things about people that I simply don't see.

All the knowledge I possess everyone else can acquire, but my heart is all my own.

G is Grace, the Flaming Star is the Torch of Reason. Those who possess this knowledge are indeed Illuminati.

All wish to possess knowledge, but few, comparatively speaking, are willing to pay the price.

A man can only attain knowledge with the help of those who possess it. This must be understood from the very beginning. One must learn from him who knows.

An artist must possess Nature. He must identify himself with her rhythm, by efforts that will prepare the mastery which will later enable him to express himself in his own language.

A picture must possess a real power to generate light and for a long time now I've been conscious of expressing myself through light or rather in light.

Any successful nominee should possess both the temperament to interpret the law and the wisdom to do so fairly. The next Supreme Court Justice should have a record of protecting individual rights and a strong willingness to put aside any political agenda.