possess

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”)).

verb

1. (transitive)
   1. To have (something) as, or as if as, an owner; to have, to own.
      He does not even possess a working telephone.
      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
   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).
      They thought he was possessed by evil spirits.
   4. (also reflexive, chiefly literary and poetic) Of a person: to control or dominate (oneself or someone, or one's own or someone's heart, mind, etc.).
      1. To dominate (a person) sexually; to have sexual intercourse with (a person).
   5. (archaic)
      1. To 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?
      2. To occupy the attention or time of (someone).
      3. (also literary) To obtain or seize (something); to gain, to win.
      4. (also reflexive) Chiefly followed by of or with: to vest ownership of something in (oneself or someone); to bestow upon, to endow.
   6. (law) To have control or possession of, but not to own (a chattel or an interest in land).
   7. (obsolete)
      1. To give (someone) information or knowledge; to acquaint, to inform.
      2. To have the ability to use, or knowledge of (a language, a skill, etc.)
      3. To inhabit or occupy (a place).
      4. Chiefly followed by that: to convince or persuade (someone).
2. (intransitive)
   1. To dominate sexually; to have sexual intercourse with.
   2. To inhabit or occupy a place.