Search the Dictionary

To push; to dash; to throw. [Obs. or Prov. Eng.] A cat . . . possed them [the rats] about. Piers Plowman.

See Posse comitatus. In posse. See In posse in the Vocabulary.

The power of the county, or the citizens who may be summoned by the sheriff to assist the authorities in suppressing a riot, or executing any legal precept which is forcibly opposed. Blackstone.

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.

The act or state of possessing, or holding as one's own.

Of or pertaining to possession; arising from possession.

A possessor; a property holder. [Obs.] "Possessioners of riches." E. Hall. Having been of old freemen and possessioners. Sir P. Sidney.

Of or pertaining to the possessive case; as, a possessival termination. Earle.

Of or pertaining to possession; having or indicating possession. Possessive case (Eng. Gram.), the genitive case; the case of nouns and pronouns which expresses ownership, origin, or some possessive relation of one thing to another; as, Homer's admirers; the pear's flavor; the dog's faithfulness. -- Possessive pronoun…

In a possessive manner.

One who possesses; one who occupies, holds, owns, or controls; one who has actual participation or enjoyment, generally of that which is desirable; a proprietor. "Possessors of eternal glory." Law. As if he had been possessor of the whole world. Sharp.

Of or pertaining to possession, either as a fact or a right; of the nature of possession; as, a possessory interest; a possessory lord. Possessory action or suit (Law), an action to regain or obtain possession of something. See under Petitory.

some strong infusion, as by wine, etc., -- much in favor formerly. "I have drugged their posset." Shak.

The quality or state of being possible; the power of happening, being, or existing. "All possibility of error." Hooker. "Latent possibilities of excellence." Johnson.

etimes used to express extreme improbability; barely able to be, or to come to pass; as, possibly he is honest, as it is possible that Judas meant no wrong. With God all things are possible. Matt. xix. 26.

In a possible manner; by possible means; especially, by extreme, remote, or improbable intervention, change, or exercise of power; by a chance; perhaps; as, possibly he may recover. Can we . . . possibly his love desert Milton. When possibly I can, I will return. Shak.

An opossum. [Colloq. U. S.] To play possum, To act possum, to feign ignorance, indifference or inattention, with the intent to deceive; to dissemble; -- in allusion to the habit of the opossum, which feigns death when attacked or alarmed.

To preoccupy, as ground or land; to take previous possession of. Dryden.

ing to invite favor; attracting confidence, favor, esteem, or love; attractive; as, a prepossessing manner. -- Pre`pos*sess"ing*ly, adv.

Preoccupation; prior possession. Hammond.