possession Hear it!

possession Definition

pos·ses·sion (pə zes̸h′ən)

noun

  1. a possessing or being possessed, as by ownership or occupancy; hold
  2. anything possessed
  3. property; wealth
  4. territory ruled by an outside country
  5. control of oneself
  6. Sports actual control of the ball or puck in play

Etymology: OFr < L possessio

possession Related Forms
pos·ses′·sional adjective
possession Synonyms

possession

n.

  1. Ownership

    proprietary rights, hold, mastery; see ownership.

  2. Property

    personal property, real estate, something possessed; see property 1, 2.

  3. A colony

    settlement, territory, dependency; see colony 1.

possession Law Definition

n

Exercising dominion over property; having custody and control of property. See also custody and ownership.
actual possession
Immediate physical control, and, therefore, occupancy, of real property.
adverse possession
See adverse possession.
constructive possession
Having the power and intention of exercising control and dominion of real property, but lacking actual presence on or direct control of same.
criminal possession
Unlawful possession of proscribed articles, such as drugs, assault weapons, and so on, or being in possession of something that individual is proscribed from possessing.
hostile possession
See hostile possession.
notorious possession
See notorious possession.
peaceable possession
See peaceable possession.
possession Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • regain: It is not normally possible to regain possession of the property within the first six months of an Assured Shorthold Tenancy.
  • treasure: Egg and chips If you could only take three treasured possessions onto a desert island, what would they be?
  • recover: The landlord will always be able to recover possession under the section 21 procedure.
  • dominate: This seemed to kickstart the Uni into action, who soon began to dominate possession, especially in midfield.
  • retain: Saracens were limited to attacking from Wasps errors as the champions retained some good possession going into the last quarter.

Adjective modifier

  • vacant: Land with vacant possession is likely to be more valuable.
  • prized: During the attack, the gang also steals her most prized possession, a red diamond given to her by her deceased mother.
  • demonic: C ) Walk the streets, shouting at foolish parents who are leaving their children open to demonic possession and Satan's influence.
  • worldly: While moving from Oregon to Montana several years ago, my husband was driving the U-Haul packed with all of our worldly possessions.
  • adverse: A squatter will be able to apply to be registered as proprietor after ten years ' adverse possession.
  • precious: The High Lady of the Hollow Hill is seeking to trap a thief who has stolen her most precious possession.

Modifies a noun

  • proceeding: In either case, the landlord would have grounds to begin possession proceedings.

Noun used with modifier

  • cannabis: There are 2 changes: Retaining the power of arrest for cannabis possession offenses.
  • marijuana: In late October, Home Secretary David Blunkett announced that the British government will soon abandon the policy of arresting people for marijuana possession.

Preposition: in

  • midfield: Bakke 8.5 - MoM Another impressive game, seemed to swallow up most of the possession in midfield.

Preposition: of

  • cannabis: There will be a presumption against arrest for adults in possession of cannabis for personal use.
  • firearm: In this country before 1920 there were no controls on the civilian possession of firearms.
  • passport: You should be in possession of a valid passport, with a minimum validity of three months.

Preposition: with

  • intent: In May 2005 USHER was sentenced to 3 years for possession with intent to supply.
possession Quotes

And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. And I will give untothee, and tothy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God† Every man child among you shall be circumcised.

—Bible (Old Testament)

  Yet I glory More in the cunning purchase of my wealth Than in the glad possession.

—Jonson, Ben

Best thing in eird,I say for me, Is merry hart with small possessioun.

—Henryson, Robert

Ktema es aei. A possession intended to last for ever.

—Thucydides

  Possession is nine points of the law.

—Anonymous

   Religion issomething which stands beyond, behind, and within the passing flux of immediate things; something which is real, and yet waiting to be realized; something which is a remote possibility, and yet the greatest of present facts; something that gives meaning to all that passes, and yet eludes apprehension; something whose possession is the final good, and yet is beyond all reach; something which is the ultimate ideal, and the hopeless quest.

—Whitehead, Alfred North

[The] English proletariat is becoming more and more bourgeois, so that this most bourgeois of all nations is apparently aiming ultimatelyat the possession of a bourgeoisaristocracyand a bourgeoisproletariat as well as a bourgeoisie. For a nation which exploits the whole world this is of course to a certain extent justifiable.

—Engels, Friedrich

The word, it is to be observed, has two different meanings, and sometimes the utility of some particular object, and sometimes the power of purchasing other goods which the possession of that object conveys. This one may be called 'value in use'; the other,'value in exchange'. The things which have the greatest value in usehave frequently little or novalue in exchange; and on the contrary, those which have the greatest value in exchange have frequently little or no value in use. Nothing is more useful than water: but it will purchase scarce any thing; scarce any thing can be had in exchange for it. A diamond, on the contrary, has scarce any value in use; but a very great quantity of other goods may frequently be had in exchange for it.

—Smith, Adam

Givea manthesecure possessionof a bleak rock, and he will turn it into a garden; give him a nine years' lease on a garden, and he will convert it into a desert† The magic ofturns sand to gold.

—Young, Arthur