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1. Dictionary

   possess

   /pəˈzɛs/

   verb

   • 1. have as belonging to one; own: "I do not possess a television set" Similar ownhavebe the owner ofhave in one's possessionbe in possession ofbe the possessor ofhave to one's namehold
   • ▪ have possession of as distinct from ownership: "a two-year suspended sentence for possessing cocaine"
   • ▪ have as an ability, quality, or characteristic: "he did not possess a sense of humour" Similar havebe blessed withbe endowed withbe gifted withbe possessed ofbe born withenjoyboastbenefit fromarchaic:participate of
   • ▪ take for one's own: archaic "all that the plaintiffs did was to possess themselves of the securities"
   • 2. (of a demon or spirit, especially an evil one) have complete power over (someone) and be manifested through their speech or actions: "she was possessed by the Devil" Similar take control ofhave power overtake overhave mastery overcast a spell overbewitchenchantenthralcontroldominateinfluencemaddendrive madrare:bedevil
   • ▪ (of an emotion, idea, etc.) dominate the mind of: "I was possessed by a desire to tell her everything" Similar obsessdominatehauntpreoccupyconsumeeat someone upprey on someone's mindbecome an obsession withbe uppermost in someone's mindtake control of
   • 3. (of a man) have sexual intercourse with: literary "he just wanted her, to possess her"
   • 4. maintain (oneself or one's mind or soul) in a state of patience or quiet: archaic "I tried to possess my soul in patience"

   Word Origin late Middle English: from Old French possesser, from Latin possess- ‘occupied, held’, from the verb possidere, from potis ‘able, capable’ + sedere ‘sit’.

   Scrabble Points: 9

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2. dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › englishPOSSESS | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary

   dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › english

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   See all examples of possess. These examples are from corpora and from sources on the web. Any opinions in the examples do not represent the opinion of the Cambridge Dictionary editors or of Cambridge University Press or its licensors.

3. www.merriam-webster.com › dictionary › possessPossess Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

   www.merriam-webster.com › dictionary › possess

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   He possesses a keen wit. The drug possesses the potential to suppress tumors. Do dolphins possess the ability to use language? See More

4. www.merriam-webster.com › thesaurus › possessesPOSSESSES Synonyms: 34 Similar and Opposite Words - ...

   www.merriam-webster.com › thesaurus › possesses

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   Synonyms for POSSESSES: owns, has, retains, enjoys, holds, commands, keeps, carries; Antonyms of POSSESSES: lacks, wants, yields, relinquishes, renounces, abandons, disclaims, surrenders.

5. www.dictionary.com › browse › possessPOSSESS Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com

   www.dictionary.com › browse › possess

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   verb (used with object) to have as belonging to one; have as property; own: to possess a house and a car. to have as a faculty, quality, or the like: to possess courage. (of a spirit, especially an evil one) to occupy, dominate, or control (a person) from within: He thought he was possessed by devils.

6. www.thefreedictionary.com › possessesPossesses - definition of possesses by The Free Dictionary

   www.thefreedictionary.com › possesses

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   Define possesses. possesses synonyms, possesses pronunciation, possesses translation, English dictionary definition of possesses. tr.v. pos·sessed , pos·sess·ing , pos·sess·es 1. a. To have as property; own: possess great wealth. b. Law To have under one's power or control: possess...

7. dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › learner-englishPOSSESS | meaning - Cambridge Learner's Dictionary

   dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › learner-english

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   POSSESS definition: 1. to have or own something: 2. something that you say when someone has done something stupid: . Learn more.

8. www.vocabulary.com › dictionary › possessPossess - Definition, Meaning & Synonyms | Vocabulary.com

   www.vocabulary.com › dictionary › possess

   Jul 3, 2013 · language certification. 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.

9. www.collinsdictionary.com › dictionary › englishPOSSESS definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary

   www.collinsdictionary.com › dictionary › english

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   If someone or something possesses a particular quality, ability, or feature, they have it. [ formal ] ...individuals who are deemed to possess the qualities of sense, loyalty and discretion.

10. www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com › definition › englishpossess verb - Definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage...

    www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com › definition › english

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    possess somebody (literary) (of a feeling, an emotion, etc.) to have a powerful effect on somebody and control the way that they think, behave, etc. A terrible fear possessed her. I was possessed by a desire to tell her everything.

11. www.wordreference.com › definition › possesspossess - WordReference.com Dictionary of English

    www.wordreference.com › definition › possess

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    to have as belonging to one; have as property; own: to possess a house and a car. to have as a faculty, quality, or the like: to possess courage. (of a spirit, esp. an evil one) to occupy, dominate, or control (a person) from within: He thought he was possessed by devils.