Possession
pəˈzɛʃən
Definitions
3 meaningsThe act, fact, or condition of having or owning something.
pəˈzɛʃən
The state of having, owning, or controlling something.
The house was her most valuable possession.
💡 Simply: It's like when you have something that's yours, like your favorite toy or your house. It means you own it and can control it. For example, "My most prized possession is my teddy bear."
👶 For kids: When you have something and it belongs to you.
More Examples
He was accused of being in possession of illegal substances.
The company lost possession of its key assets during the bankruptcy proceedings.
How It's Used
"The judge ruled in favor of the rightful possession of the property."
"She cherished her collection of antique books as her most prized possessions."
An item that is owned; a belonging.
pəˈzɛʃən
Something that is owned; a belonging.
Her possessions included a valuable collection of paintings.
💡 Simply: Anything you own, like a phone, a car, or even a pet! It’s the stuff you can call yours. For example, "She packed all her possessions before moving to a new city."
👶 For kids: Something you own, like a toy or a book.
More Examples
He lost all of his possessions in the fire.
The thieves made off with several valuable possessions from the house.
How It's Used
"He carefully packed his possessions before moving."
"She was often preoccupied with her possessions."
The state of being controlled or influenced by a harmful or evil force.
pəˈzɛʃən
The state of being controlled by a harmful influence.
The story depicted a terrifying case of demonic possession.
💡 Simply: It’s like when an evil spirit or force takes control of someone's body or mind. It's a scary idea! Think of scary movies where people act strangely because something else is inside them. For example, "The horror movie was about a family trying to stop a demonic possession."
👶 For kids: When something bad takes over a person's body.
More Examples
The ritual was performed to break the possession.
The community was frightened by the alleged possession.
How It's Used
"The exorcist performed a ritual to rid the house of demonic possession."
"The priest believed the woman was a victim of demonic possession."
Synonyms & Antonyms
Idioms & expressions
in possession of
Having something; owning something.
"The police found the stolen goods in his possession."
nine-tenths of the law is possession
The person who owns something is usually considered the owner. In many circumstances, the person with physical possession of something is assumed to be the rightful owner.
"While they argued about who originally owned the land, they knew that nine-tenths of the law is possession."
From Middle English possessioun, from Old French possession, from Latin possessio ('a being in possession, ownership'), from possessus, past participle of possidēre ('to possess').
The word 'possession' has been used since the 14th century, evolving from legal and material contexts to encompass spiritual and psychological states.
Memory tip
Imagine holding something valuable; that's possession.
Word Origin
"Act of having, holding, or owning."