\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.