possess

/pəˈzes/ (bre, ipa) · /pəˈzes/ (ame, ipa) · /pə-ˈzes also -ˈses/ (ame, mw)

possess — 動詞

  • possesspresent simple I / you / we / they
  • possesseshe / she / it
  • possessedpast simple
  • possessing-ing form

1. to have something as your own, or to naturally have a quality, skill, or feature

1.動詞及物C1
釋義

擁有；具有

擁有某物，或具備某種特質或能力

to have something as your own, or to naturally have a quality, skill, or feature.

例句

The museum possesses several maps from the Qing period.

那家博物館擁有幾張清朝時期的地圖。

possess + noun phrase for ownership

Sofia possesses a rare gift for making shy children laugh.

Sofia 具有讓害羞孩子笑出來的天分。

possess + quality or ability

同義詞
  • own

    best for legal or clear ownership

  • have

    broader and much more common in everyday speech

  • hold

    more formal, often used for rights, positions, or property

  • boast

    used when a quality or feature is notably impressive

反義詞
  • lack

    to not have a needed quality or thing

  • be without

    formal phrase meaning not to have something

文法句型

possess + noun phrase

possess + quality/skill

用法筆記

More formal than 'have', especially in writing about property, qualities, or skills. Distinguish from sense 2: here the subject simply has something; it is not being mentally controlled by it.

常見錯誤

❌The family possesses of three cars.
✅The family possesses three cars.
💡possess is directly transitive and does not take 'of' before its object.

2. if an emotion, wish, or idea takes over someone's mind, it controls how that per

2.動詞及物C2
釋義

支配；控制

強烈情緒或念頭掌控某人

if an emotion, wish, or idea takes over someone's mind, it controls how that person thinks or acts.

例句

A strange fear possessed Nina when the hospital lights went out.

醫院的燈一熄掉，一股奇怪的恐懼就支配了 Nina。

subject is an emotion or idea

By midnight, Marcus was possessed by a need to call home.

到了半夜，Marcus 被一股想打電話回家的念頭控制住。

passive: be possessed by + feeling

同義詞
  • grip

    common and vivid, especially for fear or panic

  • overwhelm

    focuses on emotional force rather than total control

  • consume

    suggests the feeling fills almost all of a person's thoughts

  • dominate

    more general, not limited to emotions or ideas

文法句型

[emotion/idea] + possess + somebody

be possessed by + emotion/idea

用法筆記

Subject is usually an emotion, fear, wish, or idea, while the object is the affected person. Often appears in passive with 'by', and is much more literary than ordinary verbs like 'worry' or 'upset'.