possess

possess
[[t]pəze̱s[/t]]
possesses, possessing, possessed
1) VERB: no passive If you possess something, you have it or own it.

[V n] He was then arrested and charged with possessing an offensive weapon...

[V n] He is said to possess a fortune of more than two-and-a-half-thousand million dollars.

2) VERB: no cont If someone or something possesses a particular quality, ability, or feature, they have it. [FORMAL]

[V n] ...individuals who are deemed to possess the qualities of sense, loyalty and discretion...

[V n] This figure has long been held to possess miraculous power.

Syn:
3) VERB If a feeling or belief possesses you, it strongly influences your thinking or behaviour. [LITERARY]

[V n] Absolute terror possessed her...

[V n] Tsvetayeva was possessed by a frenzied urge to get out of Moscow.

4) See also possessed
5) PHRASE: V inflects (feelings) If you ask what possessed someone to do something, you are emphasizing your great surprise that they have done something which you consider foolish or dangerous.

What on earth had possessed her to agree to marry him?


English dictionary. 2008.

Игры ⚽ Нужна курсовая?
Synonyms:

Look at other dictionaries:

  • 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… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • possess — pos·sess /pə zes/ vt: to have possession of Merriam Webster’s Dictionary of Law. Merriam Webster. 1996. possess I …   Law dictionary

  • possess — pos‧sess [pəˈzes] verb [transitive] formal 1. to own or have something, especially something valuable or important, or something illegal: • The US is the only country that possesses global economic, military and political power. • Judges rarely… …   Financial and business terms

  • possess — mid 15c., to hold, occupy, reside in (without regard to ownership), from O.Fr. possessier (mid 13c.), from L. possess , pp. stem of possidere to possess. Meaning to hold as property is recorded from c.1500. Demonic sense is recorded from 1530s… …   Etymology dictionary

  • possess — [pə zes′] vt. [LME < MFr possessier < L possessus, pp. of possidere, to possess < pos , contr. < potis, able (see POTENT) + sedere, to sit] 1. to hold as property or occupy in person; have as something that belongs to one; own 2. to… …   English World dictionary

  • possess — own, enjoy, hold, *have Analogous words: control, manage, direct, *conduct: retain, *keep, reserve, withhold …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • possess — [v] have or obtain acquire, bear, be blessed with, be born with, be endowed with, carry, control, corner*, corner the market*, dominate, enjoy, get hands on*, get hold of*, grab, have to name*, hog*, hold, latch on to, lock up, maintain, occupy,… …   New thesaurus

  • possess — ► VERB 1) have as property; own. 2) (also be possessed of) have as an ability, quality, or characteristic. 3) (of a demon or spirit) have complete power over. 4) (of an emotion, idea, etc.) dominate the mind of. ● what possessed you? Cf. ↑ …   English terms dictionary

  • possess — possessor, n. possessorship, n. /peuh zes /, v.t. 1. to have as belonging to one; have as property; own: to possess a house and a car. 2. to have as a faculty, quality, or the like: to possess courage. 3. (of a spirit, esp. an evil one) to occupy …   Universalium

  • possess */*/*/ — UK [pəˈzes] / US verb [transitive] Word forms possess : present tense I/you/we/they possess he/she/it possesses present participle possessing past tense possessed past participle possessed 1) formal to own a physical object They were all found… …   English dictionary

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