a. Controlled by an evil spirit or by evil passions; wild. [ Colloq. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Pref. com- + possible. ] Able to exist with another thing; consistent. [ R. ] Chillingworth. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Dispossessed p. pr. & vb. n. Dispossessing. ] [ Pref. dis- + possess: cf. F. déposséder. ] To put out of possession; to deprive of the actual occupancy of, particularly of land or real estate; to disseize; to eject; -- usually followed by of before the thing taken away; as, to dispossess a king of his crown. [ 1913 Webster ]

Usurp the land, and dispossess the swain. Goldsmith. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. physically or spiritually homeless or deprived of security.
Syn. -- homeless, roofless. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

made a living out of shepherding dispossessed people from one country to another James Stern

n. [ Cf. F. dépossession. ] 1. The act of putting out of possession; the state of being dispossessed. Bp. Hall. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Law) The putting out of possession, wrongfully or otherwise, of one who is in possession of a freehold, no matter in what title; -- called also ouster. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who dispossesses. Cowley. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. Holding or held formerly in possession. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Preoccupied; prepossessed; preëngaged. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Not extremely forepossessed with prejudice. Bp. Sanderson. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Impossibilities [ L. impossibilitas: cf. F. impossibilité. ] 1. The quality of being impossible; impracticability. [ 1913 Webster ]

They confound difficulty with impossibility. South. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. An impossible thing; that which is not possible; that which can not be thought, done, or endured. [ 1913 Webster ]

Impossibilities! O, no, there's none. Cowley. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Inability; helplessness. [ R. ] Latimer. [ 1913 Webster ]

Logical impossibility, a condition or statement involving contradiction or absurdity; as, that a thing can be and not be at the same time. See Principle of Contradiction, under Contradiction. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ F., fr. L. impossibilis; pref. im- not + possibilis possible. See Possible. ] Not possible; incapable of being done, of existing, etc.; unattainable in the nature of things, or by means at command; insuperably difficult under the circumstances; absurd or impracticable; not feasible. [ 1913 Webster ]

With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible. Matt. xix. 26. [ 1913 Webster ]

Without faith it is impossible to please him. Heb. xi. 6. [ 1913 Webster ]

Impossible quantity (Math.), an imaginary quantity. See Imaginary.

Syn. -- See Impracticable. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. An impossibility; as, he tried to do the impossible. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

“Madam, ” quoth he, “this were an impossible!” Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. incapability of existing or occurring; impossibility.
Syn. -- impossibility. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

adv. Not possibly. Sir. T. North. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Pref. in- not + compossible: cf. F. incompossible. ] Not capable of joint existence; incompatible; inconsistent. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Ambition and faith . . . are . . . incompossible. Jer. Taylor.

-- In`com*pos`si*bil"i*ty n. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]

‖ [ L. ] In possibility; possible, although not yet in existence or come to pass; -- contradistinguished from in esse. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Of N. American Indian origin. ] (Zool.) Any American marsupial of the genera Didelphys and Chironectes; called also possum. The common species of the United States is Didelphys Virginiana. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Several related species are found in South America. The water opossum of Brazil (Chironectes variegatus), which has the hind feet, webbed, is provided with a marsupial pouch and with cheek pouches. It is called also yapock. [ 1913 Webster ]

Opossum mouse. (Zool.) See Flying mouse, under Flying. --
Opossum shrimp (Zool.), any schizopod crustacean of the genus Mysis and allied genera. See Schizopoda. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ See Push. ] To push; to dash; to throw. [ Obs. or Prov. Eng. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

A cat . . . possed them [ the rats ] about. Piers Plowman. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. See Posse comitatus. [ 1913 Webster ]

In posse. See In posse in the Vocabulary. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖ [ L. posse to be able, to have power + LL. comitatus a county, from comes, comitis, a count. See County, and Power. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. (Law) The power of the county, or the citizens who may be summoned by the sheriff to assist the authorities in suppressing a riot, or executing any legal precept which is forcibly opposed. Blackstone. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A collection of people; a throng; a rabble. [ Colloq. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The word comitatus is often omitted, and posse alone used. “A whole posse of enthusiasts.” Carlyle. [ 1913 Webster ]

As if the passion that rules were the sheriff of the place, and came off with all the posse. Locke. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

Houses and fields and vineyards shall be possessed again in this land. Jer. xxxii. 15. [ 1913 Webster ]

Yet beauty, though injurious, hath strange power,
After offense returning, to regain
Love once possessed. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

I am yours, and all that I possess. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To obtain occupation or possession of; to accomplish; to gain; to seize. [ 1913 Webster ]

How . . . to possess the purpose they desired. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

Those which were possessed with devils. Matt. iv. 24. [ 1913 Webster ]

For ten inspired, ten thousand are possessed. Roscommon. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

I have possessed your grace of what I purpose. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Record a gift . . . of all he dies possessed
Unto his son. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

We possessed our selves of the kingdom of Naples. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

To possess our minds with an habitual good intention. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- To have; hold; occupy; control; own. -- 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. possession, L. possessio. ] 1. The act or state of possessing, or holding as one's own. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Law) The having, holding, or detention of property in one's power or command; actual seizin or occupancy; ownership, whether rightful or wrongful. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Possession may be either actual or constructive; actual, when a party has the immediate occupancy; constructive, when he has only the right to such occupancy. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. The thing possessed; that which any one occupies, owns, or controls; in the plural, property in the aggregate; wealth; dominion; as, foreign possessions. [ 1913 Webster ]

When the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. Matt. xix. 22. [ 1913 Webster ]

Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession. Acts v. 1. [ 1913 Webster ]

The house of Jacob shall possess their possessions. Ob. 17. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. The state of being possessed or controlled, as by an evil spirit, or violent passions; madness; frenzy; as, demoniacal possession. [ 1913 Webster ]

How long hath this possession held the man? Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

To give possession, to put in another's power or occupancy. --
To put in possession. (a) To invest with ownership or occupancy; to provide or furnish with; as, to put one in possession of facts or information. (b) (Law) To place one in charge of property recovered in ejectment or writ of entry. --
To take possession, to enter upon, or to bring within one's power or occupancy. --
Writ of possession (Law), a precept directing a sheriff to put a person in peaceable possession of property recovered in ejectment or writ of entry. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To invest with property. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Of or pertaining to possession; arising from possession. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. A possessor; a property holder. [ Obs. ] “Possessioners of riches.” E. Hall. [ 1913 Webster ]

Having been of old freemen and possessioners. Sir P. Sidney. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. An invidious name for a member of any religious community endowed with property in lands, buildings, etc., as contrasted with mendicant friars. [ Obs. ] Wyclif. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Of or pertaining to the possessive case; as, a possessival termination. Earle. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. possessivus: cf. F. possessif. ] Of or pertaining to possession; having or indicating possession. [ 1913 Webster ]

Possessive case (Eng. Gram.), the genitive case; the case of nouns and pronouns which expresses ownership, origin, or some possessive relation of one thing to another; as, Homer's admirers; the pear's flavor; the dog's faithfulness. --
Possessive pronoun, a pronoun denoting ownership; as, his name; her home; my book. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. (Gram.) The possessive case. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Gram.) A possessive pronoun, or a word in the possessive case. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a possessive manner. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L.: cf. F. possesseur. ] One who possesses; one who occupies, holds, owns, or controls; one who has actual participation or enjoyment, generally of that which is desirable; a proprietor. “Possessors of eternal glory.” Law. [ 1913 Webster ]

As if he had been possessor of the whole world. Sharp. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Owner; proprietor; master; holder; occupant. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. possessorius: cf. F. possessoire. ] Of or pertaining to possession, either as a fact or a right; of the nature of possession; as, a possessory interest; a possessory lord. [ 1913 Webster ]

Possessory action or
Possessory suit (Law), an action to regain or obtain possession of something. See under Petitory. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ W. posel curdled milk, posset. ] A beverage composed of hot milk curdled by some strong infusion, as by wine, etc., -- much in favor formerly. “I have drugged their posset.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Posseted; p. pr. & vb. n. Posseting. ] 1. To curdle; to turn, as milk; to coagulate; as, to posset the blood. [ Obs. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To treat with possets; to pamper. [ R. ] “She was cosseted and posseted.” O. W. Holmes. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Possibilities [ F. possibilité, L. possibilitas. ] 1. The quality or state of being possible; the power of happening, being, or existing. “All possibility of error.” Hooker. “Latent possibilities of excellence.” Johnson. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. That which is possible; a contingency; a thing or event that may not happen; a contingent interest, as in real or personal estate. South. Burrill. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ F., fr. L. possibilis, fr. posse to be able, to have power; potis able, capable + esse to be. See Potent, Am, and cf. Host a landlord. ] Capable of existing or occurring, or of being conceived or thought of; able to happen; capable of being done; not contrary to the nature of things; -- sometimes used to express extreme improbability; barely able to be, or to come to pass; as, possibly he is honest, as it is possible that Judas meant no wrong. [ 1913 Webster ]

With God all things are possible. Matt. xix. 26. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Practicable; likely. See Practicable. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a possible manner; by possible means; especially, by extreme, remote, or improbable intervention, change, or exercise of power; by a chance; perhaps; as, possibly he may recover. [ 1913 Webster ]

Can we . . . possibly his love desert? Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

When possibly I can, I will return. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Shortened from opossum. ] (Zool.) An opossum. [ Colloq. U. S. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

To play possum,
To act possum, to feign ignorance, indifference or inattention, with the intent to deceive; to dissemble; -- in allusion to the habit of the opossum, which feigns death when attacked or alarmed. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Prepossessed p. pr. & vb. n. Prepossessing. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. To preoccupy, as ground or land; to take previous possession of. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To preoccupy, as the mind or heart, so as to preclude other things; hence, to bias or prejudice; to give a previous inclination to, for or against anything; esp., to induce a favorable opinion beforehand, or at the outset. [ 1913 Webster ]

It created him enemies, and prepossessed the lord general. Evelyn. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Tending to invite favor; attracting confidence, favor, esteem, or love; attractive; as, a prepossessing manner. -- Pre`pos*sess"ing*ly, adv. [1913 Webster]

n. [ 1913 Webster ]

1. Preoccupation; prior possession. Hammond. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Preoccupation of the mind by an opinion, or impression, already formed; preconceived opinion; previous impression; bias; -- generally, but not always, used in a favorable sense; as, the prepossessions of childhood. “The prejudices and prepossessions of the country.” Sir W. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Bent; bias; inclination; preoccupancy; prejudgment. See Bent. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who possesses, or occupies, previously. R. Brady. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. 1. To possess again; as, to repossess the land. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Specifically: To take possession of, for failure of the possessor to make payments owed for purchase of; -- used of real estate subject to mortgage payments and of other objects purchased on a time-payment plan, which may be taken back (repossessed) by the original vendor if the payments are not made on time. [ PJC ]

To repossess one's self of (something), to acquire again (something lost). [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The act or the state of possessing again. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Composed or tranquil in mind, manner, etc.; undisturbed. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The possession of one's powers; calmness; self-command; presence of mind; composure. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who possesses or holds anything subject to the superior of another. Jer. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ 1st pref. un- + possess. ] To be without, or to resign, possession of. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Impossibility. [ R. ] “Utter unpossibility.” Poe. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Impossible. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

See accommodating.
See aching.
See ailing.
See aiming.
See alarming.
See altering.
See appreciating.
See approving.
See aspiring.
See assisting.
See attempting.
See attending.
See bearing.
See befitting.
See beginning.
See believing.
See bleaching.
See bleeding.
See blemishing.
See blenching.
See blossoming.
See blushing.
See boding.
See branching.
See breathing.
See burning.
See calculating.
See ceasing.
See changing.
See charming.
See communicating.
See complaining.
See complying.
See conceiving.
See conducing.
See confessing.
See conniving.
See consenting.
See considering.
See conspiring.
See consulting.
See consuming.
See contending.
See contriving.
See conversing.
See convincing.
See dawning.
See decaying.
See delaying.
See depending.
See derogating.
See deserving.
See desiring.
See despairing.
See detesting.
See deviating.
See differencing.
See discerning.
See discording.
See discriminating.
See disobliging.
See dispensing.
See dissembling.
See dissolving.
See distinguishing.
See distracting.
See disturbing.
See doubting.
See dreading.
See drooping.
See ebbing.
See echoing.
See edifying.
See ending.
See enduring.
See engaging.
See enjoying.
See entering.
See enterprising.
See entertaining.
See envying.
See existing.
See fadging.
See fading.
See fainting.
See faltering.
See fearing.
See feigning.
See fighting.
See fitting.
See flagging.
See flattering.
See flinching.
See folding.
See forbearing.
See foreboding.
See foreseeing.
See forgiving.
See giving.
See grudging.
See harming.
See heeding.
See hesitating.
See hoping.
See hurting.
See importing.
See imposing.
See improving.
See interesting.
See intermitting.
See intoxicating.
See inviting.
See jarring.
See laboring.
See lingering.
See listening.
See loving.
See meddling.
See meriting.
See mistrusting.
See moving.
See murmuring.
See obliging.
See observing.
See offending.
See opening.
See pardoning.
See paying.
See perceiving.
See performing.
See perishing.
See pitying.
See pleasing.
See possessing.
See preaching.
See prepossessing.
See presuming.
See pretending.
See prevailing.
See prevaricating.
See profiting.
See promising.
See proving.
See quailing.
See questioning.
See reasoning.
See recalling.
See reclining.
See recurring.
See referring.
See reflecting.
See refunding.
See refusing.
See rejoicing.
See relaxing.
See relishing.
See remembering.
See repenting.
See repining.
See reproving.
See repulsing.
See resisting.
See resolving.
See resting.
See returning.
See rewarding.
See sanctifying.
See satisfying.
See searching.
See seeing.
See setting.
See shrinking.
See sinking.
See sleeping.
See slipping.
See slumbering.
See speaking.
See stinting.
See stirring.
See stooping.
See submitting.
See sufficing.
See suiting.
See surging.
See suspecting.
See sweating.
See swerving.
See sympathizing.
See tasting.
See thriving.
See tiring.
See toiling.
See trading.
See trembling.
See trespassing.
See trifling.
See vacillating.
See varying.
See walking.
See wandering.
See waning.
See wasting.
See wavering.
See weeping.
See winking.
See winning.
See withdrawing.
See withering.
See wondering.
See working.
See writing.
See yielding.
----- and the like. [ 1913 Webster ]

The above classes of words are unlimited in extent, and such compounds may be formed by any writer or speaker at will from almost all the adjectives or participles in the language, excepting those which have a recognized and usual negative correspondent with the prefix -in. No attempt will be made, therefore, to define them all in this Dictionary; many will be omitted from its Vocabulary which are negations of the simple word, and are readily explained by prefixing a not to the latter. Derivatives of these words in -ly and -ness will also, for the most part, be omitted for the same or similar reasons. [ 1913 Webster ]

There will be inserted as separate articles with definitions, the following: -- [ 1913 Webster ]

1. Those which have acquired an opposed or contrary, instead of a merely negative, meaning; as, unfriendly, ungraceful, unpalatable, unquiet, and the like; or else an intensive sense more than a prefixed not would express; as, unending, unparalleled, undisciplined, undoubted, unsafe, and the like. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Those which have the value of independent words, inasmuch as the simple words are either not used at all, or are rarely, or at least much less frequently, used; as, unavoidable, unconscionable, undeniable, unspeakable, unprecedented, unruly, and the like; or inasmuch as they are used in a different sense from the usual meaning of the primitive, or especially in one of the significations of the latter; as, unaccountable, unalloyed, unbelieving, unpretending, unreserved, and the like; or inasmuch as they are so frequently and familiarly used that they are hardly felt to be of negative origin; as, uncertain, uneven, and the like. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Those which are anomalous, provincial, or, for some other reason, not desirable to be used, and are so indicated; as, unpure for impure, unsatisfaction for dissatisfaction, unexpressible for inexpressible, and the like. [ 1913 Webster ]

II. Un- is prefixed to nouns to express the absence of, or the contrary of, that which the noun signifies; as, unbelief, unfaith, unhealth, unrest, untruth, and the like. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Compounds of this last class are given in full in their proper order in the Vocabulary. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖ [ L., as you possess. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. (Internat. Law) The basis or principle of a treaty which leaves belligerents mutually in possession of what they have acquired by their arms during the war. Brande & C. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Roman Law) A species of interdict granted to one who was in possession of an immovable thing, in order that he might be declared the legal possessor. Burrill. [ 1913 Webster ]

(Zool.) See Yapock, and the Note under Opossum. [ 1913 Webster ]