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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 (gcide)

Possess \Pos*sess"\ (?; 277), 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.
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Houses and fields and vineyards shall be possessed
again in this land. --Jer. xxxii.
15.
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Yet beauty, though injurious, hath strange power,
After offense returning, to regain
Love once possessed. --Milton.
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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.
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I am yours, and all that I possess. --Shak.
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3. To obtain occupation or possession of; to accomplish; to
gain; to seize.
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How . . . to possess the purpose they desired.
--Spenser.
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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.
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Those which were possessed with devils. --Matt. iv.
24.
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For ten inspired, ten thousand are possessed.
--Roscommon.
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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.
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I have possessed your grace of what I purpose.
--Shak.
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Record a gift . . . of all he dies possessed
Unto his son. --Shak.
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We possessed our selves of the kingdom of Naples.
--Addison.
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To possess our minds with an habitual good
intention. --Addison.
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Syn: To have; hold; occupy; control; own.

Usage: {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.
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