possess Copy link Outline I. To have as one's own1. expr. by sum, with dat. of Eng. subject, or in the case of bodily or mental features, by gen. or abl. of quality2. possĭdeo, sēdi, ssum, 2 (in strict legal sense, denoting no more than the holding of property3. tĕneo, 2II. To seize, occupy the mind; of emotionsIII. To have entire control and influence over (fig.) • possess: I. To have as one's own: 1. expr. by sum, with dat. of Eng. subject, or in the case of bodily or mental features, by gen. or abl. of quality: v. to have. 2. possĭdeo, sēdi, ssum, 2 (in strict legal sense, denoting no more than the holding of property: also in gen. sense): to p. much wealth, multa p., Hor. Od. 4, 9, 45. Absol., to p. landed property: Callist. Dig. 47, 9, 7 (juxta littora p.). 3. tĕneo, 2: v. to hold, occupy. II. To seize, occupy the mind; of emotions: invādo, căpio, incesso, etc.: v. possession (to take). III. To have entire control and influence over (fig.): tĕneo, 2: Virg. E. 1, 32 (of the object of affection): Ov. Or expr. by tōtus: cf. Ter. Eun. 5, 8, 10, fratris igitur tota Thais est? then does my brother possess the affections of Thais? so, of one entirely devoted to some deity, Dei totus, Val. Fl.; *quem totum Deus tenet.
POSSESS Copy link • POSSESSpossidere; possessionem alicujus rei habere or tenere, in possessione alicujus rei esse (to have some outward good in possession; possidere also, sometimes for, to be endued with a property; e.g., ingenium, magnam vim possidere): habere (to have, general term): tenere (to hold, occupy): praeditum, instructum, ornatum, also affectum esse (figuratively, to be endowed with; the latter especially in a bad sense); inesse alicui or in aliquo esse, esse in aliquo (to reside in anybody, as a property; inesse, with a dative, Sall., Cat., 58, 2; Nep., Epam., 5, 2, etc.; with in, Ter., Eun., 1, 1, 14; Cic., Off., 1, 37, 134, etc.). To express possession of a quality, we frequently find esse with a genitive or ablative; but then the property assigned is not expressed by a simple substantive, but by a substantive in connection with an adjective or adjective pronoun; e.g., we cannot say for, “virtue possesses strength,” virtus est virium; but “virtue possesses so great strength,” virtus est tantarum virium, ut, etc.: Hortensius possessed so strong a memory, that, etc., Hortensius erat tanta memoria, ut, etc.: to possess a share of a thing, alicujus rei esse participem: all cannot possess all things, non omnes omnium participes esse possunt: not to possess a thing, carere aliqua re; alicujus rei esse expertem (to be excluded from): to possess in rich measure, aliqua re abundare; aliqua re valere. ImPROP., to master, to fill, occupare (e.g., fear possesses anybody or anybody’s mind, timor occupat aliquem; Caes., B.G., 1, 39): invadere (to assault, as it were, the mind; aliquem, in aliquem or alicui: aliquem lubido, metus, terror invadit: furor alicui invadit; vis avaritiae in animum alicujus invadit, Sall.): possidere (e.g., lubido possidet aliquem, Sall.): incessere (aliquem alicui or in aliquem; e.g., admiratio, cupido, timor, indignatio incessit aliquem; cura patribus incessit, Liv., 4, 57; religio in aliquem incessit, Terentianus): possessed with anything, alicujus rei studiosissimus or cupidissimus: to be quite possessed with anything, occupari re or a re (e.g., ab iracundia; cura); studio alicujus rei trahi; cupiditate alicujus rei flagrare; also, poetically, by habere (e.g., terror, ardor, habet mentes, minds are possessed with).