/ pəˈzes; NAmE / verb (not used in the progressive tenses)
1.
[ vn ] ( formal ) to have or own sth :
He was charged with possessing a shotgun without a licence.
The gallery possesses a number of the artist's early works.
2.
[ vn ] ( formal ) to have a particular quality or feature :
I'm afraid he doesn't possess a sense of humour.
3.
[ vn ] [ usually passive ] ( literary ) ( of a feeling, an emotion, etc. ) to have a powerful effect on sb and control the way that they think, behave, etc.
4.
[ vn to inf ] (used in negative sentences and questions) to make sb do sth that seems strange or unreasonable :
What possessed him to say such a thing?
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WORD ORIGIN
late Middle English : from Old French possesser , from Latin possess- occupied, held, from the verb possidere , from potis able, capable + sedere sit.