POSSESS
Dictionary entry overview: What does possess mean?
• POSSESS (verb)
The verb POSSESS has 3 senses:
1. have as an attribute, knowledge, or skill
2. have ownership or possession of
3. enter into and control, as of emotions or ideas
Familiarity information: POSSESS used as a verb is uncommon.
Dictionary entry details
• POSSESS (verb)
Meaning:
Have as an attribute, knowledge, or skill
Classified under:
Verbs of being, having, spatial relations
Context example:
he possesses great knowledge about the Middle East
Hypernyms (to "possess" is one way to...):
feature; have (have as a feature)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "possess"):
exhibit (show an attribute, property, knowledge, or skill)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
Meaning:
Have ownership or possession of
Classified under:
Verbs of buying, selling, owning
Synonyms:
own; possess; have
Context examples:
He owns three houses in Florida / How many cars does she have?
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "possess"):
prepossess (possess beforehand)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s something
Meaning:
Enter into and control, as of emotions or ideas
Classified under:
Verbs of being, having, spatial relations
Context examples:
What possessed you to buy this house? / A terrible rage possessed her
Hypernyms (to "possess" is one way to...):
dominate (be in control)
Sentence frame:
Something ----s somebody
