Possess \Pos*sess"\ (?; 277), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Possessed; p. pr. & vb. n. Possessing.]

[L. possessus, p. p. of possidere to have, possess, from an inseparable prep. (cf. Position) + sedere to sit. See Sit.]

1. To occupy in person; to hold or actually have in one's own keeping; to have and to hold.

Houses and fields and vineyards shall be possessed again in this land. --Jer. xxxii. 15.

Yet beauty, though injurious, hath strange power, After offense returning, to regain Love once possessed. --Milton.

2. To have the legal title to; to have a just right to; to be master of; to own; to have; as, to possess property, an estate, a book.

I am yours, and all that I possess. --Shak.

3. To obtain occupation or possession of; to accomplish; to gain; to seize.

How . . . to possess the purpose they desired. --Spenser.

4. To enter into and influence; to control the will of; to fill; to affect; -- said especially of evil spirits, passions, etc. ``Weakness possesseth me.'' --Shak.

Those which were possessed with devils. --Matt. iv. 24.

For ten inspired, ten thousand are possessed. --Roscommon.

5. To put in possession; to make the owner or holder of property, power, knowledge, etc.; to acquaint; to inform; -- followed by of or with before the thing possessed, and now commonly used reflexively.

I have possessed your grace of what I purpose. --Shak.

Record a gift . . . of all he dies possessed Unto his son. --Shak.

We possessed our selves of the kingdom of Naples. --Addison.

To possess our minds with an habitual good intention. --Addison.

Syn: To have; hold; occupy; control; own.

Usage: Possess, Have. Have is the more general word. To possess denotes to have as a property. It usually implies more permanence or definiteness of control or ownership than is involved in having. A man does not possess his wife and children: they are (so to speak) part of himself. For the same reason, we have the faculties of reason, understanding, will, sound judgment, etc.: they are exercises of the mind, not possessions.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)