possession

pos·ses·sion

noun \-ˈze-shən also -ˈse-\

Definition of POSSESSION

1

a : the act of having or taking into control

b : control or occupancy of property without regard to ownership

c : ownership

d : control of the ball or puck; also : an instance of having such control (as in football) <scored on their first two possessions>

2

: something owned, occupied, or controlled : property

3

a : domination by something (as an evil spirit, a passion, or an idea)

b : a psychological state in which an individual's normal personality is replaced by another

c : self-possession

— pos·ses·sion·al \-ˈzesh-nəl, -ˈze-shə-n^əl also -ˈsesh-nəl or -ˈse-shə-n^əl\ adjective

— pos·ses·sion·less \-ˈze-shən-ləs, -ˈse-\ adjective

Examples of POSSESSION

1. The city can take possession of the abandoned buildings.
2. She came into possession of a rare silver coin.
3. The family lost all of its possessions in the fire.
4. This ring was my mother's most precious possession.
5. The defendant was charged with heroin possession.

First Known Use of POSSESSION

14th century

Related to POSSESSION

Synonyms

control, enjoyment, hands, keeping

Antonyms

nonpossession

Related Words

ownership, proprietorship; authority, command, dominion, mastery, power; repossession, retention; claiming, collaring, commandeering, confiscation, procurement

Near Antonyms

dispossession, relinquishment, surrendering, transferal

Rhymes with POSSESSION

accession, aggression, bull session, compression, concession, confession, depression, digression, discretion, egression, expression, impression, ingression, jam session, obsession, oppression, precession, procession, profession, progression, recession, refreshen, regression, repression, secession, skull session, succession, suppression, transgression