possess

Meaning

1. To have (something) as, or as if as, an owner; to have, to own.
2. Of an idea, thought, etc.: to dominate (someone's mind); to strongly influence.
3. Of a supernatural entity, especially one regarded as evil: to take control of (an animal or person's body or mind).
4. Of a person: to control or dominate (oneself or someone, or one's own or someone's heart, mind, etc.).
5. Of a person: to control or dominate (oneself or someone, or one's own or someone's heart, mind, etc.).
6. To cause an idea, thought, etc., to strongly affect or influence (someone); to inspire, to preoccupy.
7. To occupy the attention or time of (someone).
8. To obtain or seize (something); to gain, to win.
9. Chiefly followed by of or with: to vest ownership of something in (oneself or someone); to bestow upon, to endow.
10. To have control or possession of, but not to own (a chattel or an interest in land).
11. (obsolete) To give (someone) information or knowledge; to acquaint, to inform.
12. (obsolete) To have the ability to use, or knowledge of (a language, a skill, etc.)
13. (obsolete) To inhabit or occupy (a place).
14. (obsolete) Chiefly followed by that: to convince or persuade (someone).
15. To dominate sexually; to have sexual intercourse with.
16. To inhabit or occupy a place.

Hyphenated as

po‧ssess

Pronounced as (IPA)

/pəˈzɛs/

Etymology

PIE word
*pótis
From Middle English possessen (“to have, own; to obtain possession of; to inhabit, occupy”) [and other forms], from Middle French possesser, possessier, Old French possesser, possessier (“to have, own, possess; to dominate”), from Latin possessus (“possessed; seized”), the perfect passive participle of possideō (“to have, hold, own, possess; to have possessions; to take control or possession of, occupy, seize; to abide, inhabit, occupy; to dominate”), from potis (“able, capable, possible”) (from Proto-Indo-European *pótis (“master; ruler; husband”)) + sedeō (“to sit; to be seated; to be established, hold firm”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *sed- (“to sit”)).