Possess

Pronunciation: /pəˈzɛs/

Definitions of possess

verb to have or own something

Example Sentences

A1 I possess a red car.

A2 She possesses a beautiful singing voice.

B1 The company possesses a large collection of vintage cars.

B2 He possesses a keen understanding of the subject.

C1 The artist possesses a rare talent for capturing emotions in her paintings.

C2 The billionaire possesses vast amounts of wealth and influence.

Examples of possess in a Sentence

formal The suspect was found to possess a large amount of stolen goods.

informal I didn't know you possess such a rare collection of vintage records!

slang She's got mad skills, she really possesses the art of baking.

figurative His eyes possess a certain intensity that draws you in.

Grammatical Forms of possess

• past tense: possessed
• plural: possess
• comparative: more possessive
• superlative: most possessive
• present tense: possess
• future tense: will possess
• perfect tense: have possessed
• continuous tense: is possessing
• singular: possessor
• positive degree: possessive
• infinitive: to possess
• gerund: possessing
• participle: possessing

Origin and Evolution of possess

First Known Use: 1250 year

Language of Origin: Latin

Story behind the word: The word 'possess' originated from the Latin word 'possidēre', which means 'to occupy, to have, to hold'.

Evolution of the word: Over time, the word 'possess' has evolved to encompass not just physical ownership but also the idea of control or influence over something or someone.