pəˈzeshən, ˈ-sesh-, pō- noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English possessioun, from Middle French possession, from Latin possession-, possessio, from possessus (past participle of possidēre to own, possess & possidĕre to take possession of) + -ion-, -io -ion — more at possess
1.
a. : the act or condition of having in or taking into one's control or holding at one's disposal
the enemy's possession of the town
have several old manuscripts in my possession
b. : actual physical control or occupancy of property by one who holds for himself and not as a servant of another without regard to his ownership and who has legal rights to assert interests in the property against all others having no better right than himself
the locker shall remain in the student's possession throughout the course
— distinguished from custody ; compare detention 3
c. : copulation
d. : control of the playing piece (as a ball or puck) in football, basketball, ice hockey, or other game : the right of a team to put such piece in play
the home team took possession on its own one yard line
2. : something owned, occupied, or controlled : a thing possessed
his own possession for which he owes nothing to any man
as
a. possessions plural : the aggregate of things owned : wealth
b.
(1) : a piece of land
(2) Scotland : a small farmhold
c. : a territory subject to a ruler or government
domestic and foreign possessions of the Crown
d. : an area subject to a government but not fully integrated into the nation to which the government belongs
colonial and territorial possessions
by judicial decision Puerto Rico was declared “to be appurtenant to” the U.S., albeit not a part of it — a mere possession — Antonio Fernós-Isern
3. : the condition or fact of being possessed by something
the town's possession by the enemy
as
a. : the condition of being dominated by something (as an extraneous personality, demon, passion, idea, or purpose)
there were tales of bewitchings and possessions
b. : a psychological state in which an individual's normal personality is replaced by another
c. : the fact or condition of being self-controlled
his possession in the emergency was absolute
4. : an Aristotelian category having the form of a permanent disposition or state