Definitions for possess
pəˈzɛspos·sess

Princeton's WordNet(1.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. possessverb

   have as an attribute, knowledge, or skill

   "he possesses great knowledge about the Middle East"

2. own, have, possessverb

   have ownership or possession of

   "He owns three houses in Florida"; "How many cars does she have?"

3. possessverb

   enter into and control, as of emotions or ideas

   "What possessed you to buy this house?"; "A terrible rage possessed her"

Wiktionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. possessverb

   To have; to have ownership of.

   He does not even possess a working telephone.

   Etymology: * From possessus, past participle of possīdeō.

2. possessverb

   To take control of someone's body or mind, especially in a supernatural manner.

   They thought he was possessed by evil spirits.

   Etymology: * From possessus, past participle of possīdeō.

3. possessverb

   To occupy.

   Etymology: * From possessus, past participle of possīdeō.

4. possessverb

   To vest ownership in (someone) with ownership.

   Etymology: * From possessus, past participle of possīdeō.

Webster Dictionary(5.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. Possessverb

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

2. Possessverb

   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

3. Possessverb

   to obtain occupation or possession of; to accomplish; to gain; to seize

4. Possessverb

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

5. Possessverb

   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

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Possess

   poz-zes′, v.t. to have or hold as an owner: to have the control of: to inform: to seize: to enter into and influence: to put (one's self) in possession (of): (Spens.) to achieve: (Shak.) put in possession of information, convince.—adj. Possessed′, influenced by some evil spirit, demented.—n. Posses′sion, act of possessing: the thing possessed: a country taken by conquest: property: state of being possessed, as by an evil spirit: madness.—adjs. Posses′sionary, Posses′sive, pertaining to or denoting possession.—n. Posses′sive (gram.), a pronoun denoting possession: the possessive case.—adv. Posses′sively.—n. Posses′sor, one who possesses: owner: proprietor: occupant.—adj. Posses′sory, relating to a possessor or possession: having possession.—Give possession, to put in another's power or occupancy; Take possession, to assume ownership; Writ of possession, a process directing a sheriff to put a person in possession of property recovered in ejectment. [Fr.,—L. possidēre, possessum.]

Matched Categories

1. • Dominate
   • Have

British National Corpus

1. Verbs Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'possess' in Verbs Frequency: #463

How to pronounce possess?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say possess in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of possess in Chaldean Numerology is: 5

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of possess in Pythagorean Numerology is: 4

Examples of possess in a Sentence

1. RJ Intindola – (Gandolfo):

   Deficient discipline can impede every other asset one may possess, including education, intelligence, and experience.

2. Frank Herbert, Dune:

   Think you of the fact that a deaf person cannot hear. Then, what deafness may we not all possess? What senses do we lack that we cannot see and cannot hear another world all around us?

3. Bryant McGill:

   If you cannot be open minded, then you do not possess your ideas, your ideas possess you.

4. Lord Macaulay:

   The highest proof of virtue is to possess boundless power without abusing it.

5. Austin Powers International Man of Mystery:

   Dr. Evil The details of my life are quite inconsequential... very well, where do I begin My father was a relentlessly self-improving boulangerie owner from Belgium with low grade narcolepsy and a penchant for buggery. My mother was a fifteen year old French prostitute named Chloe with webbed feet. My father would womanize, he would drink. He would make outrageous claims like he invented the question mark. Sometimes he would accuse chestnuts of being lazy. The sort of general malaise that only the genius possess and the insane lament. My childhood was typical. Summers in Rangoon, luge lessons. In the spring we'd make meat helmets. When I was insolent I was placed in a burlap bag and beaten with reeds- pretty standard really. At the age of twelve I received my first scribe. At the age of fourteen a Zoroastrian named Vilma ritualistically shaved my testicles. There really is nothing like a shorn scrotum... it's breathtaking- I highly suggest you try it.

Images & Illustrations of possess

Popularity rank by frequency of use