Possess

Definition: Possess

Possess

Verb

1. Have as an attribute, knowledge, or skill; "he possesses great knowledge about the Middle East".

2. Have ownership or possession of; "He owns three houses in Florida"; "How many cars does she have?".

3. Enter into and control, as of emotions or ideas; "What possessed you to buy this house?" "A terrible rage possessed her".

Source: WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
 

Date "possess" was first used in popular English literature: sometime before 1010. (references)

Note: Possess \Pos*sess"\, transitive verb. [imperative past participle Possessed; present participle verb or noun Possessing.]. (Websters 1913)

Synonyms: Possess

Affections

Verb: have affections, possess affections; Noun: be of a character; Noun: be affected; Adjective: breathe.

Belief

Think, hold; take, take it; opine, be of opinion, conceive, trow, ween, fancy, apprehend; have it, hold a belief, possess, entertain a belief, adopt a belief, imbibe a belief, embrace a belief, get hold of a belief, hazard, foster, nurture a belief, cherish a belief, have an opinion, hold an opinion, possess, entertain an opinion, adopt an opinion, imbibe an opinion, embrace an opinion, get hold of an opinion, hazard an opinion, foster an opinion, nurture an opinion, cherish an opinion; n.

Go down, find credence, pass current; be received; Verb:, be current; Adjective: possess, take hold of, take possession of the mind.

Excitation

Stir the feelings, play on the feelings, come home to the feelings; touch a string, touch a chord, touch the soul, touch the heart; go to one's heart, penetrate, pierce, go through one, touch to the quick; possess the soul, pervade the soul, penetrate the soul, imbrue the soul, absorb the soul, affect the soul, disturb the soul.

Government

Verb: govern, rule, have authority, hold authority, possess authority, exercise authority, exert authority, wield authority; Noun: reign, be sovereign.

Rule, sway, command, control, administer; govern; (direct); lead, preside over, reign, possess the throne, be seated on the throne, occupy the throne; sway the scepter, wield the scepter; wear the crown.

Knowledge

Verb: know, ken, scan, wot; wot aware, be aware; Adjective:- of; ween, weet, trow, have, possess.

Know full well; have some knowledge of, possess some knowledge of; be au courant; Adjective: have in one's head, have at one' fingers ends; know by heart, know by rote; be master of; connaitre le dessous des cartes, know what's what.

Means

Verb: find means, have means, possess means; n.

Participation

Have in common, possess in common, be seized in common, have as joint tenants, possess as joint tenants, be seized as joint tenants; n.

Possession

Verb: possess, have, hold, occupy, enjoy; be possessed of; Adjective: have in hand; Adjective: own; command.

Property

Verb: possess; be the possessor; of; own; have for one's own, have for one's very own; come in for, inherit.

State

Verb: be in a state, possess a state, enjoy a state, labor under a state; Noun: be on a footing, do, fare; come to pass.

Taking

Appropriate, expropriate, impropriate; assume, possess oneself of; take possession of; commandeer; lay one's hands on, clap one's hands on; help oneself to; make free with, dip one's hands into, lay under contribution; intercept; scramble for; deprive of.

Crosswords: Possess

Sometimes, he would accuse chestnuts of being lazy - the sort of general malaise that only the genius possess and the insane lament. (Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery; writing credit: Mike Myers.)

You enjoy Shakespeare and possess a sense of honour. (The Seven-Per-Cent Solution; writing credit: Arthur Conan Doyle; Nicholas Meyer)

And of a sudden he knew that when one woman gives herself to you, you possess all women. (Rembrandt; writing credit: Carl Zuckmayer; June Head)

Hmm, you dismiss her beauty and good nature, yet I would be very much mistaken, if your sex in general, does not think those claims the highest a woman could possess! (Emma; writing credit: Douglas McGrath)

The blind are reputed to possess sensitivities compensating for their lack of sight, even to the point of developing paranormal psychic powers. (O Brother, Where Art Thou?; writing credit: Ethan Coen)

When I needed to possess you? (Wuthering heights; performing artist: Kate Bush)

Of the illusion that we can possess (I'll Remember, Theme From "With Honors" (1994); performing artist: Madonna)

They will possess you unless you change the number on your dial (Thriller; performing artist: Michael Jackson)

And show you all the beauty you possess (Adia; performing artist: Sarah McLachlan)

With everything we see that we want to possess (If You Love Somebody Set Them Free; performing artist: Sting)

Communication by empathy is a talent that few possess. (references; author: unknown)

That which you cannot give away, you don't possess; it possesses you. (references; author: unknown)

Use what talents you possess. The woods would be very silent if no birds sang there except those that sang best. (references; author: unknown)

Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

Books

• Christians Can Possess Demons but Cannot Be Possessed (reference)

• Conquer with your seed : and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies, Genesis 22:17b (reference)

• Function theory on manifolds which possess a pole (reference)

• Possess the land (reference)

• Promise to Possess (reference)

  (more book examples)

Theater & Movies

• This Night I'll Possess Your Corpse (reference)

  (more DVD examples; more video examples)

Music

• What You Possess Inside (reference)

  (more classical music examples; more popular music examples)

Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

Tetrathionate enrichment broth contains bile salts, thereby, inhibiting the growth of gram-positive organisms, while salmonella, an organism which possess the enzyme tetrathionate reductase, grows uninhibited. Credit: CDC.

Microgumma seen in the heart, possess a central zone of necrosis surrounded by large numbers of plasma cells and lymphocytes. Vascular proliferation is present on the periphery. The tissue was stained using H&E technique; magnification 950X. Credit: CDC.

If dreams came true. We would possess a strange and terrible power by the exercise of ... Credit: Library of Congress.

"Damned if we'll work for what they pay folks hereabouts." Crittenden County, Arkansas. Cotton workers on the road, carrying all they possess in the world. Credit: Library of Congress.

Source: pictures compiled by the editor from various references; see picture credits.

Source: compiled by the editor from various references.

So that he that by conquest has a right over a man's person to destroy him if he pleases, has not thereby a right over his estate to possess and enjoy it: for it is the brutal force the aggressor has used, that gives his adversary a right to take away his life, and destroy him if he pleases, as a noxious creature; but it is damage sustained that alone gives him title to another man's goods: for though I may kill a thief that sets on me in the highway, yet I may not (which seems less) take away his money, and let him go: this would be robbery on my side. (Second Treatise of Government)

Up till the time at which Germany is admitted as a member of the League of Nations the German Army must not possess an armament greater than the amounts fixed in Table No. II annexed to this Section, with the exception of an optional increase not exceeding one-twentyfifth part for small arms and one-fiftieth part for guns, which shall be exclusively used to provide for such eventual replacements as may be necessary. (reference)

God has willed that this shall not be and we have at least a breathing space to set our house in order before this peril has to be encountered: and even then, if no effort is spared, we should still possess so formidable a superiority as to impose effective deterrents upon its employment, or threat of employment, by others. ("Iron Curtain" Speech)

Source: compiled by the editor from various references.

But, as for me, I come to the inquest with other senses than they possess.

To have Cosette, to possess Cosette, this to him was not separable from breathing.

Source: compiled by the editor from various references.

Health

In rare instances, an individual may possess both an additional X and an additional Y chromosome. (references)

Surgeons performing laparoscopic cholecystectomy should possess the skills necessary to perform intraoperative cholangiography. (references)

HPIVs are negative-sense, single-stranded RNA viruses that possess fusion and hemagglutinin-neuraminidase glycoprotein "spikes" on their surface. (references)

Business

With the increasing standard of living, Koreans now also possess greater disposable incomes. (references)

Due to the current economic situation there are few entities which possess credit to purchase this equipment. (references)

The larger corporations, especially, possess the wherewithal to invest in pollution prevention or mitigation programs. (references)

Civil Liberties

Nepal

In August 10 Tibetans previously resident in India were arrested in Kathmandu for failure to possess required travel documents, and were convicted of immigration violations. (references)

Korea

Court precedents allow citizens to possess these kinds of publications for purely academic use, profit, or curiosity, but not with the intent of subverting the Government. (references)

Ukraine

Administrators of universities and academic and research institute directors possess the power to silence colleagues by denying them the ability to publish, withholding pay and housing benefits, or directly terminating them. (references)

Economic History

Cuba (09/01)

In 1993 the Cuban Government made it legal for its people to possess and use the U.S. dollar. (references)

Botswana

In fact, foreign investors generally enjoy much better access to credit than local firms due to the often limited capital base of the local entrepreneur, conservative lending policies by commercial banks, and the variety of strengths (personnel, technological, and logistical) that the bigger foreign investors possess. (references)

Central African Republic

The country has only 429 kilometers of paved road, limited international, and no domestic air service, and does not possess a railroad. (references)

Human Rights

Israel and the occupied territories

Families of the kidnaped soldiers believe that U.N. forces may possess other videotapes that could provide information regarding the condition of the victims or the kidnapers' identities. (references)

Djibouti

The latter receive assistance from two persons, lay assessors, who are not members of the bench, but who are thought to possess sufficient legal sophistication to comprehend court proceedings. (references)

Mozambique

The great majority of the population is either unaware of these rights or does not possess the means to obtain any form of legal counsel. (references)

Indigenous People

Costa Rica

In 1999 a group of indigenous persons from Puntarenas challenged the constitutionality of the 1978 Indigenous Law because of their inability to possess private property on the reservation. (references)

Venezuela

In addition, many Warao no longer want, or no longer possess, the knowledge required to survive in their traditional manner. (references)

Political Economy

AUSTRIA

In general, an Austrian importer must possess an export license from the supplier country and then obtain permission to import from the Austrian authorities. (references)

Trade

South Africa

Importers must possess an import permit prior to the date of shipment. (references)

Mexico

While documentary collection entails more risk than a Letter of Credit, it is also true that Mexican companies often possess business ethics equivalent to those of American companies. (references)

Nigeria

According to "Guidelines for Imports into Nigeria," effective April 1, 1996 all imports into Nigeria must possess a Clean Report of Finding (CRF) and an Import Duty Report (IDR) to be cleared through customs. (references)

Travel

Philippines

Foreign technicians, however, can enter on this basis only if they possess skills not available in the Philippines. (references)

Ghana

All visitors (except ECOWAS nationals who are allowed to use travel certificates in lieu of passports, Kenya, Malaysia, Singapore, Egypt, and Hong Kong Special Administrative Region) are required to possess a valid passport and visa. (references)

Cyprus

Visitors may obtain travel advisory information from the Embassy's web-site (www.americanembassy.org.cy). Any foreigner arriving in Cyprus must possess a valid passport. (references)

Women

Latvia

Women possess the same legal rights as men. (references)

Djibouti

Women legally possess full civil rights, but custom and traditional societal discrimination in education dictate that they play a secondary role in public life and have fewer employment opportunities than men. (references)

Worker Rights

Guyana

Public and private sector employees possess and utilize the right to organize and to bargain collectively. (references)

Source: compiled by the editor from ICON Group International, Inc.; see credits.

Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

Source: compiled by the editor from various references.

Expressions using "possess": all i possess ♦ possess affections ♦ possess affinities for dyestuff/to ♦ possess means ♦ possess one's soul in peace ♦ possess oneself ♦ possess oneself in patience ♦ possess oneself of ♦ possess the soul. Additional references.

Afrikaans

besit (own, possession, property). (various references)

Albanian

pushtoj (carry, conquer, creep over, enfold, engross, envelop, fold, hog, invade, jump, obsess, overcome, overreach, overrun, overtake, overwhelm, pervade, reach, reduce, reign, rush back, seize, smite, straddle, sweep, take, take a fancy to, take possession of), posedoj, zotëroj (command, dominate, have, hold, manage, master, own, wield), marr (accede, acquire, assume, bring, catch, claim, collect, contract, draw, get, have, land, make, obtain, occupy, pick up, realize, receive, score, take, take in, take out), kam (bear, carry, enjoy, get, have, keep, own), fitoj (carry off, come by, come into, command, earn, fight down, gain, gain upon, get, get the best of, make, net, obtain, outfight, overcome, overthrow, profit, pull in, realize, score, score off, take, touch, win). (various references)

Arabic 

‏ملك (get hold of, have, hold, king, monarch, own, ownership, possession, prince, property, reign, rejoice, sovereign), ‏حاز (have), ‏تملك (holding, occupancy, ownership, possession), ‏تحلى بالصبر, ‏سيطر (boss, command, control, dominate, govern, grip, keep, master, overcome, overpower, predominate, reign, repress, rule, sew up, take control, wield), ‏صادر (attach, commandeer, condemn, conscript, expropriate, impound, levy, requisition, seize, sequester, sequestrate, take possession of), ‏إمتلك (be in possession, take possession of), ‏إحتفظ (hold, hold over, keep, retain), ‏إحتل المكان, ‏إستولى (annex, appropriate, be purchased, capture, carry, collar, jump, latch, requisition, seize, snatch, take, take up), ‏أزعج (ail, annoy, beset, bother, burn, discompose, disquiet, disrupt, distress, disturb, get in the way, get on smb.'s nerves, gig, gnaw, grate, hamper, harass, importune, incommode, inconvenience, infest, intrude, irk, irritate, jolt, molest, nag, niggle, obsess, offend, pain, peck, peeve, perturb, pester, plague, prickle, put out, rasp, rattle, ruffle, saddle, torment, trouble, upset, vex). (various references)

Bulgarian 

въвеждам във владение (seize), владея (command, control, dominate, hold sway over, own, ride, sway, wield), овладявам (dominate, govern, invade, master, obsess, overcome, overmaster, overpower, permeate, pull together), обхващам (comprehend, comprise, embed, encompass, envelop, grip, include, obsess, overcome, overtake, pervade, seize, span, spread, take in), обладавам (have), заграбвам (shark up), запознавам (acquaint, familiarize), притежавам (have, hold, own, rejoice in, wield), имам (carry, contain, have, hold, make, own, rejoice in, wear). (various references)

Chinese 

抱有 (have), 有著 (have), 拥有 (Own, Owned, Owning, Possessed, Possessing), 具有 (have), 具備 (have). (various references)

Czech

posednout, vlastnit (have, keep, own), ovládat (command, control, dominate, govern, handle, manage, overmaster, sway, tutor, wield), mít (derive, experience, Harbor, harbour, have, keep, suffer, to have). (various references)

Danish

eje (own), besidde (own). (various references)

Dutch

erop nahouden (have, have got, own), bezitten (own). (various references)

Esperanto

posedi (own). (various references)

Faeroese

eiga (be in labour, give birth, labour, own). (various references)

Finnish

omistaa (dedicate, have, have got, own). (various references)

French

posséder. (various references)

Frisian

besitte (own). (various references)

German

besitzen (enjoy, have, have got, hold, own, to own, to possess). (various references)

Greek 

κατέχω (have, hold, master, occupy, own). (various references)

Hebrew 

לקבל בירוש�" (inherit), לק� ות (acquire, buy, own, purchase, shop), ל� חול (inherit, receive, seize, take possession). (various references)

Hungarian

van vmje, ura vmnek, rendelkezik valamivel (dispose of, have), birtokol (held, own, to hold, to hold possession of, to hold sg in demesne, to occupy, to possess), birtokában van (to be in one's right mind), bír (own, stood, to endure, to stand, to stomach). (various references)

Icelandic

eiga (own). (various references)

Indonesian

punya (have, of, own, whose), mempunyai (have, own), memiliki (have, own). (various references)

Italian

possedere (have, hold, own, posses). (various references)

Japanese Kanji 

持つ (to carry, to hold, to possess). (various references)

Japanese Katakana 

そなわる (to be among, to be endowed with, to be furnished with, to be one of, to be possessed of, to possess), そなえる (to be armed with, to be endowed with, to be furnished with, to dedicate, to equip, to furnish, to have, to have ready, to install, to offer, to possess, to prepare for, to provide for, to sacrifice), のりうつる (to change, to inspire, to possess, to transfer), つく (comes on, to accompany, to adhere, to adjoin, to arrive at, to attach to, to attack, to be added to, to be attached, to be connected with, to be dyed, to be recorded, to be scarred, to be stained, to become allied to, to breathe, to catch fire, to disgorge, to follow, to haunt, to increase, to nudge, to pick at, to poke, to possess, to reach, to settle in, to start, to strike, to study, to study with, to take, to tell, to thrust, to vomit), せい� くあわせのむ (to be broad-minded enough to associate with various types of people, to possess a capacious mind), わたくしする (to possess oneself, to think only of oneself), もつ (to carry, to hold, to possess), ようする (to demand, to have, to possess, to require, to take), とりつく (to cling to, to grapple with, to possess, to stick to), とり�"ろす (to haunt to death, to possess and kill). (various references)

Korean 

소� 하십시�". (various references)

Manx

goaill shelloo. (various references)

Norwegian

eie (own). (various references)

Papiamen

poseé (own), tini (own), tin (have, have got, own, there are, there is). (various references)

Pig Latin

ossesspay

Portuguese

possuir (dominate, endue, have, hold, keep, own, receive), ter (accept, do with, enjoy good health, give birth, hang onto, have, have got, hold, own, receive, take, to have), fruir (own). (various references)

Romanian

poseda (ground, have, hold, own). (various references)

Russian 

обладать (enjoy, have, own, rejoice). (various references)

Scottish

meal (enjoy). (various references)

Serbo-Croatian

posedovati (have, own, wield), obuzeti (come over, consume, engross, grip, obsess, overcome, preoccupy, prepossess, smite), imati (get, have, own). (various references)

Spanish

poseer (carry on, cut, cut out, have, live, live on, live through, live up, own, posses), tener (bear, carry, cut out, desire, experience, hang onto, have, have got, having, hold, keep, keep on, keep up, live, live up, love, meet with, own, practice, practise, retain, show, to have, travel, wear, wish). (various references)

Swedish

äga (be entitled to, have, own), inneha (fill, hold, occupy, posses), besitta (have, occupy, own). (various references)

Turkish

tutmak (abide by, add up to, affect, Bate, be, bespeak, bind, book, catch, charter, check, choke, choke back, choke down, choke off, claw hold of, clench, clutch, cog, cohere, come to, confine, constrain, contain, cost, cramp, engage, Favor, favour, figure out at, fish, gather, get hold of, grapple, grasp, grip, guard, hang onto, hire, hire on, hold, hold back, hold in, hold on, hold on to, hold up, inhibit, intercept, keep, keep back, keep down, keep in, keep to, occupy, play, play on, play upon, redeem, remand, reserve, restrain, retain, save, seize, seize on, stanchion, stick, stick to, stifle, strangle, support, take, take up, tot up, total, uphold, withhold, work out at), sahip olmak (be possessed of, enjoy, have, own, possess oneself of), kurcalamak (drag up, go round, irritate, monkey, monkey with, poke, poke up, rake up, tamper, tamper with, warm up), hakim olmak (become a judge, command, control, dominate, have a command of, hold sway over, master, predominate, rule over), elinde bulundurmak, egemen olmak (dominate, have control over, reign). (various references)

Ukrainian

уміти (be able to, know), володіти (command, have, hold, own, wield), мати (bear, carry, cherish, ha, have, mother, must, own), захоплювати (absorb, bag, carry away, clench, clip, delight, encroach, enrapture, enthuse, grab, inlace, invade, occupy, rapture, ravish, take). (various references)

Welsh

piau (own), perchenogi (own), meddu (own), meddiannu (annex, appropriate, occupy). (various references)

obtineo, occupare, possederant, possederat, possederim, possederis, possederunt, possederuntque, possedi, possedimus, possedisti, possedistis, possedit, possessa, possessuri, possessurus, posside, possideamus, possideant, possideas, possideat, possideatis, possidebant, possidebas, possidebat, possidebis, possidebit, possidebitis, possidebo, possidebunt, possidebuntur, possidemus, possidendam, possidendas, possidendum, possidens, possident, possidentem, possidentis, possidentium, possideo, possidere, possiderem, possiderent, possideres, possideret, possideretis, possides, possidet, possidete, possidetis, tene, teneamus, teneant, teneat, teneatur, tenebam, tenebant, tenebantur, tenebas, tenebat, tenebatque, tenebatur, teneberis, tenebis, tenebit, tenebitur, tenebo, tenebunt, tenendam, tenens, tenensque, tenent, tenente, tenentem, tenentes, tenentium, tenentur, teneo, tenere, tenerem, tenerent, teneret, teneri, tenes, tenet, tenete, tenetis, tenetur, tenuerint, tenueris, tenuerit, tenuerunt, tenui, tenuisse, tenuisti, tenuit, uti, utor, utor uti usus, utor, uti, usus. (various references)

agan. (various references)

Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

Derivations

Words beginning with "possess": possessed, possessedly, possessedness, possessednesses, possesses, possessing, possession, possessional, possessionless, possessions, possessive, possessively, possessiveness, possessivenesses, possessives, possessor, possessors, possessory. (additional references)

Words ending with "possess": dispossess, prepossess, repossess. (additional references)

Words containing "possess": dispossessed, dispossesses, dispossessing, dispossession, dispossessions, dispossessor, dispossessors, nonpossession, nonpossessions, prepossessed, prepossesses, prepossessing, prepossession, prepossessions, repossessed, repossesses, repossessing, repossession, repossessions, repossessor, repossessors, unprepossessing. (additional references)

Misspellings

"Possess" is suggested in spellcheckers for the following: pesass, poesess, poseess, posess, posesses, poseuses, possese, posseses, possesse, possesss, Possest, possets, prosess, Rosswess. (additional references)

Source: compiled by the editor (additional references); see credits.

Scrabble® Enable2K-Verified Anagrams

-1 letter: posses.

-2 letters: pesos, poses, posse.

-3 letters: epos, opes, oses, peso, pose, sops.

-4 letters: ess, oes, ope, ops, ose, pes, sop, sos.

-5 letters: es, oe, op, os, pe, so.

+2 letters: espressos, possessed, possesses, possessor, repossess, sesspools.

+3 letters: dispossess, poshnesses, possessing, possession, possessive, possessors, possessory, prepossess, sourpusses, suspensors.

+4 letters: passionless, piousnesses, possessedly, possessions, possessives, postseasons, prosinesses, repossessed, repossesses, repossessor, soapinesses, soppinesses, suppressors, suspensions, toplessness.

+5 letters: dispossessed, dispossesses, dispossessor, hopelessness, plotlessness, porousnesses, possessional, possessively, postmistress, prepossessed, prepossesses, repossessing, repossession, repossessors, salespersons, sloppinesses, spaciousness, speciousness, sponginesses, spookinesses, sportinesses, spotlessness, spottinesses, spuriousness, subprocesses, supersession, suppressions, suspensories, vasopressins, vasopressors.

50 6F 73 73 65 73 73

⁼

.--.    ---    ...    ...    .    ...    ...

01010000 01101111 01110011 01110011 01100101 01110011 01110011

&#80 &#111 &#115 &#115 &#101 &#115 &#115

0050 006F 0073 0073 0065 0073 0073

50818585718585