possess

Meanings

Noun

a temporary police force

Verb

have as an attribute, knowledge, or skill
- "he possesses great knowledge about the Middle East"
have ownership or possession of
enter into and control, as of emotions or ideas
- "What possessed you to buy this house?"
- "A terrible rage possessed her"
To have (something) as, or as if as, an owner; to have, to own.
Of an idea, thought, etc.: to dominate (someone's mind); to strongly influence.
Of a supernatural entity, especially one regarded as evil: to take control of (an animal or person's body or mind).
Of a person: to control or dominate (oneself or someone, or one's own or someone's heart, mind, etc.).
Of a person: to control or dominate (oneself or someone, or one's own or someone's heart, mind, etc.).
To dominate (a person) sexually; to have sexual intercourse with (a person).
To cause an idea, thought, etc., to strongly affect or influence (someone); to inspire, to preoccupy.
To occupy the attention or time of (someone).
To obtain or seize (something); to gain, to win.
Chiefly followed by of or with: to vest ownership of something in (oneself or someone); to bestow upon, to endow.
To have control or possession of, but not to own (a chattel or an interest in land).
To give (someone) information or knowledge; to acquaint, to inform.
To have the ability to use, or knowledge of (a language, a skill, etc.)
To inhabit or occupy (a place).
Chiefly followed by that: to convince or persuade (someone).
To dominate sexually; to have sexual intercourse with.
To inhabit or occupy a place.

Origin / 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”)).

Synonyms

have, hold, inhold, own, posse, posse comitatus, possess, seise

Antonyms

dispossess, go without, lose, unpossess

Scrabble Score: 9

possess is a valid Scrabble (US) TWL word
possess is a valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
possess is a valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 10

possess is a valid Words With Friends word