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One who by gradual steps enters on, and takes possession of, what is not his own.

The act of entering gradually or silently upon the rights or possessions of another; unlawful intrusion. An unconstitutional encroachment of military power on the civil establishment. Bancroft.

The art of writing or compiling encyclopedias; also, possession of the whole range of knowledge; encyclopedic learning.

ance. Slurring with an evasive answer the question concerning the endurance of his own possession. Sir W. Scott.

To take pleasure or satisfaction in the possession or experience of; to feel or perceive with pleasure; to be delighted with; as, to enjoy the dainties of a feast; to enjoy conversation.

The condition of enjoying anything; pleasure or satisfaction, as in the possession or occupancy of anything; possession and use; as, the enjoyment of an estate.

gnify; as, the body is enlarged by nutrition; to enlarge one's house. To enlarge their possessions of land. Locke.

To make rich with any kind of wealth; to render opulent; to increase the possessions of; as, to enrich the understanding with knowledge. Seeing, Lord, your great mercy Us hath enriched so openly. Chaucer's Dream.

To go into or upon, as lands, and take actual possession of them.

Inspiration as if by a divine or superhuman power; ecstasy; hence, a conceit of divine possession and revelation, or of being directly subject to some divine impulse. Enthusiasm is founded neither on reason nor divine revelation, but rises from the conceits of a warmed or overweening imagination. Locke.…

s; as, the entrance of a person into a house or an apartment; hence, the act of taking possession, as of property, or of office; as, the entrance of an heir upon his inheritance, or of a magistrate into office.

The actual taking possession of lands or tenements, by entering or setting foot on them.

Anything which takes possession of the minds of people as an epidemic does of their bodies; as, an epidemic of terror.

translated bittern, and in the Revised Version, porcupine. I will make it [Babylon] a possession for the ericius and pools of waters. Is. xiv. 23 (Douay version).

A writ, now abolished, to recover escheats from the person in possession. Blackstone.

A property which a person possesses; a fortune; possessions, esp. property in land; also, property of all kinds which a person leaves to be divided at his death. See what a vast estate he left his son. Dryden.

give to thee, and to thy seed after thee . . . the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession. Gen xvii. 8. And heard thy everlasting yawn confess The pains and penalties of idleness. Pope.

ch right; to eject; to oust. The law of England would speedily evict them out of their possession. Sir. J. Davies.

ing; or state of being evicted; the recovery of lands, tenements, etc., from another's possession by due course of law; dispossession by paramount title or claim of such title; ejectment; ouster.

agement of the royal revenue. [Eng.] Hence, the treasury; and, colloquially, pecuniary possessions in general; as, the company's exchequer is low. Barons of the exchequer. See under Baron. -- Chancellor of the exchequer. See under Chancellor. -- Exchequer bills or bonds (Eng.), bills of money, or promissory bills, is…