Part 428

When the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

Matt. xix. 22.

Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession.

Acts v. 1.

The house of Jacob shall possess their possessions.

Ob. 17.

4. The state of being possessed or controlled, as by an evil spirit, or violent passions; madness; frenzy; as, demoniacal possession.

How long hath this possession held the man?

Shak.

To give possession, to put in another's power or occupancy. -- To put in possession. (a) To invest with ownership or occupancy; to provide or furnish with; as, to put one in possession of facts or information. (b) (Law) To place one in charge of property recovered in ejectment or writ of entry. -- To take possession, to enter upon, or to bring within one's power or occupancy. -- Writ of possession (Law), a precept directing a sheriff to put a person in peaceable possession of property recovered in ejectment or writ of entry.

Pos*ses"sion, v. t. To invest with property. [Obs.]

Pos*ses"sion*a*ry (?), a. Of or pertaining to possession; arising from possession.

Pos*ses"sion*er (?), n. 1. A possessor; a property holder. [Obs.] "Possessioners of riches." E. Hall.

Having been of old freemen and possessioners.

Sir P. Sidney.

2. An invidious name for a member of any religious community endowed with property in lands, buildings, etc., as contrasted with mendicant friars. [Obs.] Wyclif.

Pos`ses*si"val (?), a. Of or pertaining to the possessive case; as, a possessival termination. Earle.

Pos*sess"ive (?), a. [L. possessivus: cf. F. possessif.] Of or pertaining to possession; having or indicating possession.

Possessive case (Eng. Gram.), the genitive case; the case of nouns and pronouns which expresses ownership, origin, or some possessive relation of one thing to another; as, Homer's admirers; the pear's flavor; the dog's faithfulness. -- Possessive pronoun, a pronoun denoting ownership; as, his name; her home; my book.

Pos*sess"ive (?), n. 1. (Gram.) The possessive case.

2. (Gram.) A possessive pronoun, or a word in the possessive case.

Pos*sess"ive*ly, adv. In a possessive manner.

Pos*sess"or (?), n. [L.: cf. F. possesseur.] One who possesses; one who occupies, holds, owns, or controls; one who has actual participation or enjoyment, generally of that which is desirable; a proprietor. "Possessors of eternal glory." Law.

As if he had been possessor of the whole world.

Sharp.

Syn. -- Owner; proprietor; master; holder; occupant.

Pos*sess"o*ry (?), a. [L. possessorius: cf. F. possessoire.] Of or pertaining to possession, either as a fact or a right; of the nature of possession; as, a possessory interest; a possessory lord.

Possessory action or suit (Law), an action to regain or obtain possession of something. See under Petitory.