POSSESSION

[noun] [U]The possession of large amounts of money does not ensure your success with women, but it may help.(formal) I have in my possession (= I have or own) a letter which I think may be of interest to you.(formal) He was found in possession of explosives./Explosives were found in his possession.(formal) Being the only child, he came into possession of a great deal of property when his father died.A possession is something that you own or that you are carrying with you at any time.She's never really been interested in material possessions.Will passengers please make sure that they take all their personal possessions with them on leaving the train.He regards the car as his personal possession (= he acts as if it belongs to him, but it belongs to all of us).A country's possessions are the countries ruled by it.a former overseas possession(legal) You take/get possession of a building or piece of land when you start to use and control it, whether or not you own it.We've already bought the house but we won't take possession (of it) until May when the present occupants move out.(saying) 'Possession is nine points/tenths of the law' means that if you own something, you can control what happens to it, and other people can't take it away from you.