possess

present singular third person possesses · participle present possessing · participle past possessed · past possessed · first person past singular possessed · archaic present second person singular possessest · past second person singular possessed · archaic past second person singular possessedst · present singular third person possesses · archaic present singular third person possesseth · past singular third person possessed · past plural possessed · past subjunctive possessed · participle present possessing · participle past possessed · participle past possest

1. transitiveTo have (something) as, or as if as, an owner; to have, to own.

   He does not even possess a working telephone.

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   For men being generally poſſeſſed before the time of our Saviour, […] of an opinion, that the Souls of men were ſubſtances diſtinct from their Bodies, and therefore that when the Body was dead, the Soule of every man, whether godly, or wicked, muſt ſubſiſt ſomewhere by vertue of its own nature, without acknowledging therein any ſupernaturall gift of Gods; the Doctors of the Church doubted a long time, what was the place, which they were to abide in, till they ſhould be re-united to their Bodies in the Reſurrection; […]

   1651, Thomas Hobbes, “Of Spirituall Darknesse from Misinterpretation of Scripture”, in Leviathan, or The Matter, Forme, & Power of a Common-wealth Ecclesiasticall and Civill, London: […] [William Wilson] for Andrew Crooke, […], →OCLC, 4th part (Of the Kingdome of Darknesse), page 340

   Even where the affections are not strongly moved by any superior excellence, the companions of our childhood always possess a certain power over our minds, which hardly any later friend can obtain.

   1816 June – 1817 April/May (date written), [Mary Shelley], chapter VII, in Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus. […], volume III, London: […] [Macdonald and Son] for Lackington, Hughes, Harding, Mavor, & Jones, published 1 January 1818, →OCLC, page 162

   [T]he ship turned and made slowly for her wharf under the wall, bringing even more fairly to view the life with which the river at that point was possessed.

   1880 November 12, Lew[is] Wallace, chapter II, in Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers, […], →OCLC, book fourth, page 179

   He read the letter aloud. Sophia listened with the studied air of one for whom, even in these days, a title possessed some surreptitious allurement.

   1921, Ben Travers, chapter 1, in A Cuckoo in the Nest, London: The Bodley Head, →OCLC

   Here the line is joined by the Colne Valley branch, and both tracks are carried into Haverhill station upon a high embankment from which the town can be seen on the south side. The twin tracks, after traversing a scissors crossover, become the down and up roads through the station, which possesses an extensive goods yard.

   1951 September, B. D. J. Walsh, “The Sudbury and Haverhill Line, Eastern Region”, in Railway Magazine, page 619

   Synonyms: inhold

2. transitiveOf an idea, thought, etc.: to dominate (someone's mind); to strongly influence.

   A horrid mistrust of the whole house possessed me. I saw it in the light of a deadly trap.

   1919, Joseph Conrad, chapter VII, in The Arrow of Gold: A Story between Two Notes, London: T[homas] Fisher Unwin, […], →OCLC, part V, page 298

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   I am poſſeſt with an adulterate blot, / My bloud is mingled with the crime of luſt: […]

   c. 1594 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Comedie of Errors”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene ii], page 89, column 1

   This [suspicion of plague] poſſeſs'd the Heads of the People very much, and few car'd to go thro' Drury-Lane, or the other Streets ſuſpected, unleſs they had extraordinary Buſineſs, that obliged them to it.

   1722 March, H[enry] F[oe] [pseudonym; Daniel Defoe], A Journal of the Plague Year: […], London: […] E[lizabeth] Nutt […]; J. Roberts […]; A. Dodd […]; and J. Graves […], →OCLC, page 3

   I saw that turbulent emotions possessed her, so I asked what I thought would be some sedative questions about her little girl.

   1925, F[rancis] Scott Fitzgerald, chapter 1, in The Great Gatsby, New York, N.Y.: Charles Scribner’s Sons, published 1953, →ISBN, page 17

3. transitiveOf a supernatural entity, especially one regarded as evil: to take control of (an animal or person's body or mind).

   They thought he was possessed by evil spirits.

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   If all the diuels of hell be drawne in little, and Legion himſelfe poſſeſt him, yet Ile ſpeake to him.

   c. 1601–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Twelfe Night, or What You Will”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene iv], page 268, column 1

   I ſtand centinell perdu, and ſomebody dyes if I ſleepe, I am poſſeſt with the diuell and cannot ſleepe.

   1612, Thomas Dekker, “If It Be Not Good, the Diuel is In It. […]”, in The Dramatic Works of Thomas Dekker […], volume III, London: John Pearson […], published 1873, →OCLC, Act III, scene ii, page 309

   [I]t is manifeſt, that whoſoever behaved himſelfe in extraordinory manner, was thought by the Jewes to be poſſeſſed either with a good, or evill ſpirit; […]

   1651, Thomas Hobbes, “Of the Vertues Commonly Called Intellectuall; and Their Contrary Defects”, in Leviathan, or The Matter, Forme, & Power of a Common-wealth Ecclesiasticall and Civill, London: […] [William Wilson] for Andrew Crooke, […], →OCLC, 1st part (Of Man), page 38

   But I am now talking of a Set of People who were not poſſeſs'd BY, but rather, as it may be called, are poſſeſs'd OF the Devil; […]

   1727, [Daniel Defoe], “How Wisdom and Learning Advanc’d Men in the First Ages to Royalty and Government, and How Many of the Magicians were Made Kings on that Account; as Zoroaster, Cadmus, and Many Others”, in A System of Magick; or, A History of the Black Art. […], London: […] J. Roberts […], →OCLC, page 55

   Had I lived in the Middle Ages I am certain I would have believed that a talking bird must be possessed by the devil.

   1919, Joseph Conrad, chapter IV, in The Arrow of Gold: A Story between Two Notes, London: T[homas] Fisher Unwin, […], →OCLC, part IV, page 187

4. alsoliterarypoeticreflexivetransitiveOf a person: to control or dominate (oneself or someone, or one's own or someone's heart, mind, etc.).

   I tried to possess my soul in patience, and to forget how hungry I was.

   1915 August–September, John Buchan, “The Adventure of the Bald Archæologist”, in The Thirty-Nine Steps, Edinburgh; London: William Blackwood and Sons, published October 1915, →OCLC, page 137

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   Resolving to possess myself in some quiet if it might be, in a time of so great jealosy, I built by my Brother's permission a study, made a fishpond, an island, and some other solitudes and retirements, at Wotton, which gave the first occasion of improving them to those water-works and gardens which afterwards succeeded them.

   1643 May 11 (Gregorian calendar), John Evelyn, “[Diary entry for 2 May 1643]”, in William Bray, editor, Memoirs, Illustrative of the Life and Writings of John Evelyn, […], 2nd edition, volume I, London: Henry Colburn, […]; and sold by John and Arthur Arch, […], published 1819, →OCLC, page 30

   Uneasy persons, who cannot possess their own minds, vent their spleen upon all who depend upon them; […]

   1711 August 17 (Gregorian calendar), [Joseph Addison; Richard Steele et al.], “MONDAY, August 7, 1711”, in The Spectator, number 137; republished in Alexander Chalmers, editor, The Spectator; a New Edition, […], volume II, New York, N.Y.: D[aniel] Appleton & Company, 1853, →OCLC, page 218

   Take me—mould me to your will, possess my heart and soul to all eternity.

   1826, [Mary Shelley], chapter IV, in The Last Man. […], volume I, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, page 136

   1. alsoliterarypoeticreflexivetransitiveTo dominate (a person) sexually; to have sexual intercourse with (a person).

      Now tell me how long you would haue her, after you haue poſſeſt her?

      c. 1598–1600 (date written), William Shakespeare, “As You Like It”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i], page 201, column 2

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      She leads him towards the steps, drawing him by the odour of her armpits, the vice of her painted eyes, the rustle of her slip in whose sinuous folds lurks the lion reek of all the male brutes that have possessed her.

      1922 February 2, James Joyce, “[Episode 15: Circe]”, in Ulysses, Paris: Shakespeare and Company […], →OCLC, part II [Odyssey], page 472

      She would surrender herself avidly, he thought, and greedily enjoy all the intimacies of the bed without ever allowing herself to be possessed.

      1953, Ian Fleming, “Tide of Passion”, in Casino Royale, London: Pan Books, published 1955, page 167

5. archaictransitiveTo cause an idea, thought, etc., to strongly affect or influence (someone); to inspire, to preoccupy.

   What on earth possessed you to go walking by the quarry at midnight?

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   My eares are ſtopt, & cannot hear good newes, / So much of bad already hath poſſeſt them.

   c. 1590–1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Two Gentlemen of Verona”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene i], page 30, column 1

   Heare is obſerued that in all cauſes the firſt tale poſſeſſeth much, in ſorte, that the preiudice, thereby wrought wil bee hardly remooued, excepte ſome abuſe or falſitie in the Information be detected.

   1605, Francis Bacon, “The Second Booke”, in The Twoo Bookes of Francis Bacon. Of the Proficience and Aduancement of Learning, Diuine and Humane, London: […] [Thomas Purfoot and Thomas Creede] for Henrie Tomes, […], →OCLC

   What a ſtrange drowſines poſſeſſes them?

   1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene i], page 8, column 1

   Thus hath he deluded many Nations in his Auguriall and Extiſpicious inventions, from caſuall and uncontrived contingences divining events ſucceeding. Which Tuſcan ſuperſtition ſeaſing upon Rome hath ſince poſſeſſed all Europe.

   1650, Thomas Browne, “A Further Illustration”, in Pseudodoxia Epidemica: […], 2nd edition, London: […] A[braham] Miller, for Edw[ard] Dod and Nath[aniel] Ekins, […], →OCLC, 1st book, page 33

   He [Envy] neither regardeth Prince nor People, Law nor Cuſtom: but doth all that he can to poſſeſs all men with certain of his diſloyal notions, which he in the general calls Principles of Faith and Holineſs.

   1678, John Bunyan, The Pilgrim’s Progress from This World, to That which is to Come: […], London: […] Nath[aniel] Ponder […], →OCLC, page 129

6. archaictransitiveTo occupy the attention or time of (someone).

   [W]hen he [Henry Wotton] was beyond ſeventy years of age he made this deſcription of a part of the preſent pleaſure that poſſeſt him, […]

   1653, Iz[aak] Wa[lton], chapter I, in The Compleat Angler or The Contemplative Man’s Recreation. Being a Discourse of Fish and Fishing, […], London: […] T. Maxey for Rich[ard] Marriot, […], →OCLC; reprinted as The Compleat Angler (Homo Ludens; 6), Nieuwkoop, South Holland, Netherlands: Miland Publishers, 1969, →ISBN, pages 33–34

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   [M]y Head quite was turn'd with the Whimſies of foreign Adventures, and all the pleaſant Amuſements of my Farm, and my Garden, my Cattle, and my Family, which before entirely poſſeſt me, were nothing to me, had no Reliſh, and were like Muſick to one that has no Ear, or Food to one that has no Taſte: […]

   1719, [Daniel Defoe], The Farther Adventures of Robinson Crusoe; […], London: […] W[illiam] Taylor […], →OCLC, page 9

7. alsoarchaicliterarytransitiveTo obtain or seize (something); to gain, to win.

   [T]hey in ſecret counſell cloſe conſpird, / How to effect ſo hard an enterprize, / And to poſſeſſe the purpoſe they deſird: […]

   1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book III, Canto III”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, stanza 51, page 440

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   [T]here thou maiſt braine him, / Hauing firſt ſeiz'd his bookes: […] Remember / Firſt to poſſeſſe his Bookes; for without them / Hee's but a Sot, as I am; […]

   1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene ii], page 12

8. alsoarchaicreflexivetransitiveChiefly followed by of or with: to vest ownership of something in (oneself or someone); to bestow upon, to endow.

   I will poſſeſſe you of that ſhip and Treaſure.

   c. 1606–1607 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Anthonie and Cleopatra”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene xi], page 355, column 2

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   Lvcius Tarquinius (for his exceſſive pride ſurnamed Superbus) after hee had cauſed his owne father in law Seruius Tullius to be cruelly murdred, and contrarie to the Romaine lawes and cuſtomes, not requiring or ſtaying for the peoples ſuffrages, had poſſeſſed himſelfe of the kingdome: […]

   1594, William Shakespeare, “The Argument”, in Lucrece (First Quarto), London: […] Richard Field, for Iohn Harrison, […], →OCLC

   And for theſe great affaires do aske ſome charge, / Tovvards our aſsiſtance vve doe ſeaze to vs: / The Plate, coine, reuenevves, and moueables / VVhereof our Vnckle Gaunt did ſtand poſſeſt.

   1595 December 9 (first known performance), [William Shakespeare], The Tragedie of King Richard the Second. […] (First Quarto), London: […] Valentine Simmes for Androw Wise, […], published 1597, →OCLC, [Act II, scene i]

   VVhen in diſgrace with Fortune and mens eyes, / I all alone bevveepe my out-caſt ſtate, / […] / VViſhing me like to one more rich in hope, Featur'd like him, like him with friends poſſeſt, / […] / For thy ſweet loue remembred ſuch vvelth brings, / That then I skorne to change my ſtate with Kings.

   1609, William Shakespeare, “Sonnet 29”, in Shake-speares Sonnets. […], London: By G[eorge] Eld for T[homas] T[horpe] and are to be sold by William Aspley, →OCLC

   The end then of learning is to repair the ruins of our firſt parents by regaining to knovv God aright, and out of that knovvledge to love him, to imitate him, to be like him, as vve may the neereſt by poſſeſſing our ſouls of true vertue, vvhich being united to the heavenly grace of faith makes up the higheſt perfection.

   [1644], [John Milton], Of Education. To Master Samuel Hartlib, [London]: […] [Thomas Underhill and/or Thomas Johnson], →OCLC, page 2

   [H]e, the hoſts between, / With warlike Menelaus ſhall in fight / Contend for Helen, and for all her wealth. / Who ſtrongest proves, and conquers, he, of her / And her's poſſeſt, ſhall bear them ſafe away, / And oaths of amity ſhall bind the reſt.

   1791, Homer, “[The Iliad.] Book III.”, in W[illiam] Cowper, transl., The Iliad and Odyssey of Homer, Translated into Blank Verse, […], volume I, London: […] J[oseph] Johnson, […], →OCLC, page 70, lines 104–109

   Synonyms: seise · Antonyms: dispossess, unpossess

9. transitivelawTo have control or possession of, but not to own (a chattel or an interest in land).
10. obsoletetransitiveTo give (someone) information or knowledge; to acquaint, to inform.

    To[by Belch]. Poſſeſſe vs, poſſeſſe vs, tell vs ſomething of him. / Mar[ia]. Marrie ſir, ſometimes he is a kinde of Puritane.

    c. 1601–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Twelfe Night, or What You Will”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene iii], page 261, column 2

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    I cannot bid you bid my daughter liue, / That were impoſſible, but I pray you both, / Poſſeſs the people in Meſſina here, / How innocent ſhe died, […]

    1598–1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, Much Adoe about Nothing. […], quarto edition, London: […] V[alentine] S[immes] for Andrew Wise, and William Aspley, published 1600, →OCLC, [Act V, scene i]

    The Pagan in ſhort told him, if hee had any more to poſſeſſe the King he ſhould firſt acquaint him, and conſequently haue an anſwer, to which our Ambaſſadour replyed little, tho diſcontented much, perceiuing by this, he ſhould haue no further acceſſe vnto the King, […]

    1634, T[homas] H[erbert], “Occurrents in Cazbeen”, in A Relation of Some Yeares Trauaile, Begunne Anno 1626. into Afrique and the Greater Asia, […], London: […] William Stansby, and Jacob Bloome, →OCLC, page 123

11. obsoletetransitiveTo have the ability to use, or knowledge of (a language, a skill, etc.)

    And Mr. Holt found that Harry could read and write, and poſſeſſed the two languages of French and Engliſh very well, […]

    1852, William Makepeace Thackeray, “Whither in the Time of Thomas, Third Viscount, I Had Preceded him, as Page to Isabella”, in The History of Henry Esmond, Esq. […] , volume I, London: […] Smith, Elder, & Company, […], →OCLC, page 65

12. obsoletetransitiveTo inhabit or occupy (a place).

    When those bells / Possessed the mid-day air, / Strove not her steps to reach my side / Down all the echoing stair?

    1870 April 26, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, “[Poems.] The Blessed Damozel.”, in Poems, London: F[rederick] S[tartridge] Ellis, […], →OCLC, stanza 11, page 4

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    [W]ell thou knowſt / God hath pronounc't it death to taſte that Tree, / The only ſign of our obedience left / Among ſo many ſignes of power and rule / Conferrd upon us, and Dominion giv'n / Over all other Creatures that poſſeſſe Earth, Aire, and Sea.

    1667, John Milton, “Book IV”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC, lines 426–432

    Wherefore getting out again, on that ſide next to his own Houſe; he [Pliable] told me, I ſhould poſſeſs the brave Countrey alone for him: ſo he went his way, and I came mine.

    1678, John Bunyan, The Pilgrim’s Progress from This World, to That which is to Come: […], London: […] Nath[aniel] Ponder […], →OCLC, page 16

    [W]e are not willing to let any other Nation ſettle there, becauſe we would not let them ſee how weak we are, and what a vaſt Extent of Land we poſſeſs there with a few Men: […]

    1725, [Daniel Defoe], “Part II”, in A New Voyage Round the World, by a Course Never Sailed before. […], London: […] A[rthur] Bettesworth, […]; and W. Mears, […], →OCLC, page 115

13. obsoletetransitiveChiefly followed by that: to convince or persuade (someone).

    By ſuch malicious Inſinuations, he had poſſeſs'd the Lady, that he was the only Man in the World, of a ſound, pure, and untainted Conſtitution: […]

    1712, Humphry Polesworth [pseudonym; John Arbuthnot], “Jack’s Charms, or the Method by which He Gain’d Peg’s Heart”, in John Bull Still in His Senses: Being the Third Part of Law is a Bottomless-Pit. […], London: […] John Morphew, […], →OCLC, page 12

14. intransitiveTo dominate sexually; to have sexual intercourse with.
15. intransitiveTo inhabit or occupy a place.

    Doſt thou thinke in time / She will not quench, and let inſtructions enter / Where Folly now poſſeſſes?

    1611 April (first recorded performance), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Cymbeline”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene v], page 373, column 2