Possession

Definition: Possession

Possession

Noun

1. The act of possessing; "they took possession of the ball".

2. Anything owned or possessed.

3. Being controlled by passion or the supernatural.

4. A mania restricted to one thing or idea.

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

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

Synonyms: Possession

Property

Noun: property, possession, suum cuique, meum et tuum.

Crosswords: Possession

French (colony, dominion, holding, ownership, possession, property, settlement).

Scottie, do you believe that someone out of the past - someone dead - can enter and take possession of a living being? (Vertigo; writing credit: Pierre Boileau; Thomas Narcejac)

When he says wife, he means possession! (Maude; writing credit: Colette Deréal)

The majesty and grandeur of the English language, it's the greatest possession we have. (My Fair Lady; writing credit: George Bernard Shaw; Alan Jay Lerner)

For the two of us, what counts more than the possession of things - how shall I put it - is the remembrance of things, the memory of things. (Giardino dei Finzi-Contini, Il; writing credit: Giorgio Bassani; Vittorio Bonicelli)

Assault on a police officer, theft of police property, illegal possession of a firearm, five counts of attempted murder. (Farscape; writing credit: Olivier Cauvin)

May I be your possession (I Try; performing artist: Macy Gray)

So I've learned that love's not possession (She's Out of My Life; performing artist: Michael Jackson)

If you want to hold onto your possession (If You Love Somebody Set Them Free; performing artist: Sting)

You want to hold onto your possession (If You Love Somebody Set Them Free; performing artist: Sting)

Most writers regard the truth as their most valuable possession, and therefore are economical in its use. (references; author: Mark Twain)

Possession (1973)

The Possession of Joel Delaney (1972)

Possession du condamné (1967)

The Girl in Possession (1934)

Immediate Possession (1931)

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

Books

• Hostage to the Devil: The Possession and Exorcism of Five Contemporary Americans (reference)

• Adverse Possession and the South Carolina Land Surveyor (reference)

• Changing Masters: Spirit Possession and Identity Construction Among Slave Descendants and Other Subordinates in the Sudan (Islam and Society in afric (reference)

• Von Savigny's Treatise on Possession, Or, the Jus Possessionis of the Civil Law (reference)

• Ce-VI - Close Encounters of the Possession Kind: A Different Kind of Interference of Otherworldly Beings (reference)

  (more book examples)

Theater & Movies

• Possession (reference)

• Possession (reference)

• The Possession of Nurse Sherri (reference)

• Amityville II: The Possession (reference)

• The Possession of Joel Delaney (reference)

  (more DVD examples; more video examples)

Music

• Possession (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) [SOUNDTRACK] (reference)

• Severed Eyes of Possession (reference)

  (more classical music examples; more popular music examples)

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

Edward Johnstone, M.D. / Engraved by W. Radcliffe, from a Miniature in the possession of the Family. Credit: National Library of Medicine.

"On the morning of March 27, 1945 during Okinawa preparations four suicide planes attacked the light cruiser USS Biloxi. Three were shot down in flames but the fourth broke through the umbrella of ack-ack to smash itself against the cruiser's side. Later investigation revealed a 500-kilogram bomb which failed to explode. Rendered harmless, the bomb became the prized possession of the quarterdeck where it is shown being examined by Major Anthony V. Ragusin (right) of Biloxi, Miss., and Ensign Jack Fisher, USNR, of Natchitoches, La., both of whom are attached to the staff of the Commander in Chief Pacific Ocean Areas." (Quoted from the original caption released with this photograph on 7 September 1945.). Credit: NAVY.

Annapolis Junction, on the Washington branch of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, in possession of the troops of the United States government. Credit: Library of Congress.

Coleridge / from a painting by Washington Allston in the possession of Mr. Richard H. Dana. Credit: Library of Congress.

Joseph X talking to cop showing him court order to take possession of house / World Telegram & Sun p. Credit: Library of Congress; photo by O. Fernandez..

Chimney - relic of Spanish possession, Ormond, Fla. Credit: Library of Congress.

The Mozart (40th N.Y.) and The Scott Life Guard (38th N.Y.) taking possession of the Red Redoubt nr. Yorktown, Sunday, 6.A.M. Credit: Library of Congress.

Columbus taking possession of the new country. Credit: Library of Congress.

Farmers nooning, from the original picture in the possession of Iona Sturges Esqr. / / painted by W.S. Mount ; engraved by Alfred Jones ; printed by J. Dalton. Credit: Library of Congress.

Penalty for possession of marijuana (first offense) / National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws. Credit: Library of Congress.

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

Source: compiled by the editor from various references.

All barons who have founded abbeys, concerning which they hold charters from the kings of England, or of which they have long continued possession, shall have the wardship of them, when vacant, as they ought to have. (reference)

If he gave away a part to any body else, so that it perished not uselesly in his possession, these he also made use of. (Second Treatise of Government)

The transportation or importation into any State, Territory, or Possession of the United States for delivery or use therein of intoxicating liquors, in violation of the laws thereof, is hereby prohibited. (reference)

The Clearing Offices concerned will lay before the Mixed Arbitral Tribunal all the information and documents in their possession, so as to enable the Tribunal to decide rapidly on the cases which are brought before it. (reference)

It should carry with it the continuance of the present facilities for mutual security by the joint use of all Naval and Air Force bases in the possession of either country all over the world. ("Iron Curtain" Speech)

Source: compiled by the editor from various references.

This idea taking full possession of his mind, he got up softly and shuffled in his slippers to the door.

Jondrette had taken possession of the other chair opposite Monsieur Leblanc.

And these things were possession, and possession was ownership.

By this fluctuation the pond asserts its title to a shore, and thus the shore is shorn, and the trees cannot hold it by right of possession.

Source: compiled by the editor from various references.

Business

PTS grants licenses to telecom operators, allocates radio frequencies and grants licenses for the possession and use of radio transmitters. (references)

Due to restrictions then imposed on possession of any foreign currency, domestic enterprises and organizations could not make equipment purchases from foreign manufacturers. (references)

The greatest challenge for French corporations in the possession of an Intranet network is to provide adequate protection for their data. Demand for security tools is thus expected to rise in proportion with the development of Intranet sites. (references)

Children

Australia

The Government has enacted strict legislation aimed at restricting the trade in, and possession of, child pornography, and which further allows suspected pedophiles to be tried in Australia regardless of where the crime was committed. (references)

Hong Kong

A proposed bill on Prevention of Child Pornography that the Government plans to introduce before the Legislative Council in 2002 would criminalize the making, production, distribution, publication, advertising, and possession of child pornography and prohibit the procurement of children for making pornography, extend the application of certain sexual offense provisions to acts committed against children outside of Hong Kong, and prohibit any arrangement or advertising relating to commission of those acts. (references)

Switzerland

The production, possession, distribution, or showing of hard pornography are crimes punishable with fines or prison sentences. (references)

Civil Liberties

Poland

The time limit for applications by the Catholic Church expired in December 1991. By the end of the year, 2,670 of the 3,050 claims filed by the Church had been concluded: 1,269 claims were settled by agreement between the Church and the party in possession of the property (usually the national or a local government); 882 properties were returned through decision of the Commission on Property Restitution, which rules on disputed claims; and 502 claims were rejected. (references)

Gambia

The possession and distribution of documents deemed to be "political literature" is not barred by decree, and the ruling APRC and opposition parties distributed leaflets and papers that could be considered "political literature" during the year. (references)

Indonesia

Customs forms require entrants into the country to declare possession of Chinese publications, although significant amounts of material bypass customs and censorship procedures. (references)

Economic History

North Korea

The Joint Declaration on denuclearization was initialed on December 31, 1991. It forbade both sides to test, manufacture, produce, receive, possess, store, deploy, or use nuclear weapons and forbade the possession of nuclear reprocessing and uranium enrichment facilities. (references)

Papua New Guinea

The protectorate, called British New Guinea, was annexed outright on September 4, 1888. The possession was placed under the authority of the Commonwealth of Australia in 1902. Following the passage of the Papua Act of 1905, British New Guinea became the Territory of Papua, and formal Australian administration began in 1906. Papua was administered under the Papua Act until it was invaded by the Japanese in 1941, and civil administration suspended. (references)

Seychelles

A second expedition in 1756 reasserted formal possession by France and gave the islands their present name in honor of the French finance minister under King Louis XV. The new French colony barely survived its first decade and did not begin to flourish until 1794, when Queau de Quincy became commandant. (references)

Human Rights

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

The police asserted that Cuffy had a shotgun in his possession. (references)

Honduras

In April Tela prison authorities detained a woman for suspected drug possession. (references)

Namibia

On June 13, in Ngone village, east of Rundu, SFF soldiers arrested Joao Vinevale reportedly based on suspicion of weapons possession. (references)

Minorities

Canada

In July a court convicted a man (who was associated with a group that aims to eliminate the use of English in Quebec) of the bombings and sentenced him to 6 months in jail for weapons' possession and 1 month for the firebombing. (references)

Czech Republic

One received 24 months' imprisonment and 3 years' probation, because of the additional charge of possession of an illegal firearm. (references)

China

Possession of separatist publications or audiovisual materials is not permitted, and, according to reports, possession of such materials has resulted in lengthy prison sentences. (references)

Political Economy

Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia's unique role in the Arab and Islamic worlds, its possession of the world's largest reserves of oil, and its strategic location make its friendship important to the United States. (references)

Trade

Poland

Commercial samples of zero or low value can usually be imported free of customs duty by means of a written statement to Polish customs confirming the value of the sample and that it will stay in the possession of the importing entity. (references)

Spain

Documents against payment (remesa documentaria): Exporters use this instrument to ensure the possession of the merchandise until the collection of funds, or at least until the importer accepts a bill of exchange. (references)

Travel

Saudi Arabia

New regulations allow domestic travel without such a letter, as long as the traveler has possession of a valid Iqama. (references)

Kenya

The penalty for possession of illegal drugs, including marijuana, is 10 years imprisonment, with no option of a fine. (references)

Spain

In Spain, penalties for possession, use, or dealing in illegal drugs are strict, and convicted offenders can expect jail sentences and fines. (references)

Women

Costa Rica

It also denies the perpetrator possession of the family home in favor of the victim. (references)

Worker Rights

Ecuador

In a legal strike, workers may take possession of the factory or workplace, thus ending production at the site, and receive police protection during the takeover. (references)

Argentina

In August a court sentenced the owner of a Buenos Aires nightclub and two employees to prison terms ranging from 3 to 7 years for illegal imprisonment, corruption of minors, and illegal weapons possession after a 1999 investigation found 15 women and 7 girls (minors), including Paraguayans, held captive by the group. (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.

Worldly possession

Expressions using "possession": Adverse possession ♦ be in one's possession ♦ be in possession ♦ be in possession of all one's faculties ♦ be in possession of the ball ♦ chose in possession ♦ come in possession ♦ come into possession ♦ come into possession of ♦ diabolic possession ♦ enter into possession ♦ estate coming into possession ♦ give possession ♦ giving possession ♦ have possession of ♦ in absolute possession ♦ in possession ♦ in possession of one's faculties ♦ in the possession of smth. ♦ joint possession ♦ material possession ♦ player in possession of ball ♦ put one in possession of ♦ regain possession ♦ remain in possession of the field ♦ resume possession of smth. ♦ seize possession ♦ self possession ♦ take possession ♦ take possession of ♦ take possession of smth. ♦ take possession of the mind ♦ taking possession ♦ To give possession ♦ To put in possession ♦ To take possession ♦ transferred possession ♦ vacant possession ♦ with vacant possession ♦ writ of possession. Additional references.

Beginning with "possession": possession-'here', possession-oriented.

Ending with "possession": non-possession, re-possession.

Containing "possession": Cherished-possession-to-be.

Afrikaans

besit (own, possess, property), besitting (property). (various references)

Albanian

pronësi (demesne, proprietary, proprietorship), pronë (acquest, assets, demesne, domain, estate, gear, goods, holding, land, ownership, patrimony, premise, property, realty), posedim, zotërim (assimilation, command, dominance, domination, enjoyment, grasp, holding, keeping, lordship, mastership, mastery, occupancy, occupation, ownership, tenure), vend në zotërim. (various references)

Arabic 

‏ممتلكات (asset, belongings, dominions, estate, fencing, gear, holding, possessions, property, substance), ‏ملكية (estate, monarchy, ownership, property, regality, royalty), ‏ملك (get hold of, have, hold, king, monarch, own, ownership, possess, prince, property, reign, rejoice, sovereign), ‏حيازة (ownership), ‏تملك (holding, occupancy, ownership, possess), ‏تمتع (bask, belong, enjoy, fruition, fullness, fulness, rejoice), ‏ضبط النفس (discipline, self control, temperance), ‏إمتلاك (demesne, ownership, procurement), ‏إقتناء, ‏إستحواز شعور ما على المرء, ‏رباطة الجأش (imperturbability). (various references)

Bulgarian 

владение (demesne, domain, keeping, occupancy, ownership, tenure), притежание (domain, enjoyment, holding, ownership, property, proprietorship), имущество (estate, havings, property, store, tenure). (various references)

Chinese 

财产 (ASSET, Assets, belongings), 所有權 (ownership), 屬地 (annexed territory, dependency). (various references)

Czech

posedlost (craze, infatuation, obsession), zaujatost (partiality, prejudice, prepossession), vlastnictví (holding, keeping, ownership, property), majetek (belongings, estate, holding, means, property, wealth). (various references)

Danish

besiddelse, ejendom (ownership, property). (various references)

Dutch

bezit (assets, property), eigendom (ownership, property), bezitting (estate, farm, property, ranch). (various references)

Esperanto

posedo, posedaĵo (property). (various references)

Faeroese

ogn (property). (various references)

Farsi 

یدتسلط, مالکیت (Ownership), تصرف (Occupancy, Occupation, Seizure, Tenure), ثروت (Fortune, Gold, Mammon, Money, Treasure, Wealth, Worth), داراءی (Asset, Estate, Fortune, Property, Purse, Thing, Wealth). (various references)

Finnish

omistus (dedication, ownership), huosta (care, charge, custody), alusmaa (colony, dependency). (various references)

French

possession. (various references)

Frisian

besitting (property), besit (property). (various references)

German

Besitz (belongings, domain, estate, holding, holdings, occupancy, ownership, premises, property, tenure, to acquire property), Gut (all right, belongings, beneficial, capable, domain, efficiently, estate, farm, fine, freight, gear, good, goods, handsomely, holding, item, keen, manor, material, nice, nicely, o.k., okay, property, quiet, ranch, rigging, safely, sharp, solid, that's good, understood, well), Eigentum (estate, ownership, properties, property, proprietorship, tenancy), Besitztum (estate, property), besessenheit (frenzy, mania, obsession). (various references)

Greek 

κατοχή (occupancy, occupation, seizin, tenancy, tenure). (various references)

Hebrew 

מורש�" (heritage, inheritance, legacy), מורש (heritage), משק (administration, economy, farm, farmstead, household, settlement), תפוס�" (displacement, estate, occupation, space, tonnage), ק� י�" (acquisition, buy, buying, obtainment, purchase), בעלות (ownership, proprietorship, title to property), רכוש (capital, estate, hold, property, substance, wealth), � חל�" (bequest, estate, heritage, inheritance, legacy, property), � כס (asset, property, riches, wealth). (various references)

Hungarian

megszállottság (compulsiveness, obsession), birtoklás (holding, occupancy, ownership, tenure). (various references)

Icelandic

eign (property). (various references)

Indonesian

milik (property). (various references)

Italian

possesso (belongings, chattel, having, holding, mastery, ownership, property, tenure). (various references)

Japanese Kanji 

享有 (enjoyment), � � � (capture, have a room to oneself, occupation). (various references)

Japanese Katakana 

ぞくりょう (a subordinate, dependency, dominion, territory), ぐび (endowment, equipment, qualification), しょぞう, きょうゆう (accomplished villain, chivalry, enjoyment, gallantry, hamlet, joint ownership, ringleader, share, village), しょゆうぶつ (property), しょじ (everything, owning, various matters), ぐゆう (preparedness), ほゆう (maintenance, retention), せ�"りょう (1000 ryou, capture, dose, dyes, have a room to oneself, member of parliament, occupation), かくとく (acquisition), かみおろし (seance), りょうぶ�" (bisect, cut in two, domain, dominion, sphere of action, territory), りょうど (both times, dominion, territory), りょうゆう (colleague, comrade, coworker, good friend, two great men, workmate), ゆう (actor, bravery, courage, evening, gentleness, gift, help, heroism, superiority, to braid, to do up, to say). (various references)

Korean 

소� 물. (various references)

Manx

soylley (embodiment, enjoyment, fruition, indulgence, matching, mock up, pattern), shellooderys (proprietorship), shelloo (asset, herd, holding, holding of land). (various references)

Norwegian

eiendom (estate, property). (various references)

Papiamen

propiedat (property). (various references)

Pig Latin

ossessionpay

Portuguese

propriedade (demesne, effect, estate, ground, lore, ownership, patriot, possessive, property, proprietary, proprietorship, propriety, quality), possessão (belongings, dependence, dependency, property), posse (appropriation, asset, demesne, domain, fruition, gear, grasp, hand, hands off, hold, induction coil, occupancy, occupational, ownership, pleasure, property, proprietress, tenure). (various references)

Romanian

proprietate (affection, demesne, estate, feature, hand, having, holding, ownership, peculiarity, property, proprietary), posesiune (demesne, enjoyment, estate, having, holding, tenure), posedare (enjoyment), stãpânire (authority, command, continence, control, demesne, dominance, domination, dominion, empire, enjoyment, government, grip, hand, holding, keeping, lordship, masterdom, mastery, ownership, reign, rule, sovereignty, sway), deţinere (detention, holding), avere (all, assets, belongings, effect, estate, fortune, gold, goods, having, means, opulence, patrimony, property, substance, wealth), autostãpânire. (various references)

Russian 

владение (barony, demesne, dominion, hold, holding, tenure). (various references)

Scottish

sealbh (luck), ùrlamhas. (various references)

Serbo-Croatian

posedovanje, posed (acre, occupancy, property), imetak (pile, property, worth). (various references)

Spanish

posesión (bedevilment, dependence, dependency, holding, ownership, proprietorship, tenure), tenencia (holding, occupancy, occupation, property, tenancy, tenantry, tenure). (various references)

Swedish

tillhörighet (appurtenance, belonging, inherence, inherency, inhesion, property), egendom (belongings, estate, premise, property, proprietary), besittning (dependency, dominion, property, territory), ägo. (various references)

Turkish

varlık (asset, being, circumstance, circumstances, creature, criter, entity, estate, existence, havings, means, possessions, presence, property, stock, subsistence, wealth), tasarruf (austerity, economy, Providence, provident, retrenchment, saving, thriftiness), saplantı (crank, determination, idee fixe, idol, monomania, obsession), sahiplik (dominion, mastership, ownership, possessive, possessory, title), sahip olunan şey, sahibi olma, mülk edinme (seisin, seizin), mülk (asset, condo, demesne, domain, estate, freehold, hereditament, landed property, possessions, premises, property, tenement), kafayı takma, iyelik (ownership, possessive), hakim olma (grip, predominance), cinnet (insanity, lunacy, madness, mania, rabidness), cin çarpması. (various references)

Ukrainian

самовладання (composure, countenance, restraint, self control, self-command, self-government), володіння (acres, demesne, domain, dominions, enjoyment, having, lordship, occupancy, occupation, ownership, tenancy, tenantry, tenure), власність (aught, demesne, own, ownership, pelf, property, proprietorship), одержимість (obsession). (various references)

Vietnamese 

t� i sản (asset, estate, mean, meant, property), sự chiếm hữu vật sở hữu, quyền sở hữu (ownership, property, proprietorship), của cải thuộc địa. (various references)

Welsh

meddiant, elw (behoof, benefit, boot, gain, profit). (various references)

mancipia, mancipiorum, possessio, possessione, possessionem, possessiones, possessionibus, possessionis, possessionum, societas, societate, societatem, societatis. (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 "possession": possessional, possessionless, possessions. (additional references)

Words ending with "possession": dispossession, nonpossession, prepossession, repossession. (additional references)

Words containing "possession": dispossessions, nonpossessions, prepossessions, repossessions. (additional references)

Misspellings

"Possession" is suggested in spellcheckers for the following: Boisseson, poesession, posesion, posession, possesion, possessionem, possessioner, possision, Possossona, prosession, Rosselson. (additional references)