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Prepossess
Definitions
- 1 Chiefly followed by by or with: to preoccupy (someone) in an emotional or mental way, so as to preclude other things. transitive
"[I]ndeed the Legate [Alberic of Ostia] came not vvith a virgin-judgement, but raviſhed vvith prejudice; being prepoſſeſſed vvith this intent to diſpoſſeſſe him [Rodolphus, or Ralph of Domfront] of his place."
- 2 influence (somebody's) opinion in advance wordnet
- 3 To cause (someone) to have a previous inclination against, for, or to something; to bias or prejudice; specifically, to induce in (someone) a favourable opinion beforehand, or at the outset. broadly, transitive
"So Juſtice, which ſhould runne downe like a ſtreame, though it ariſeth out of a pure Fountaine, out of the breaſt of a ſincere and incorrupted Judge; yet if formerly it hath paſſed through the Mines of Gold and Silver, I meane, through bad Servants, who have taken bribes to prepoſſeſſe the Judge their Maſter with the prejudice of falſe informations, Juſtice hereby may be ſtrangely perverted and corrupted."
- 4 make a positive impression (on someone) beforehand wordnet
- 5 To cause (someone) to think a certain way. obsolete, transitive
"[T]his brief Inventory I have here given as preparatory to vvhat follovvs, and to pre-poſſeſs the Reader, 1. That a natural Indagation according to the light of natural Reaſon touching the Origination of ſuch a Creature as this, is no contemptible or unvvorthy enquiry."
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- 6 cause to be preoccupied wordnet
- 7 To occupy or possess (something) beforehand. obsolete, transitive
"All paſſages out of their campe Martius [Gaius Lucius Marcius Septimus] hath prepoſſeſſed, ſo that there is no vvay to eſcape, ſaue by leaping dovvne the Rampart: […]"
- 8 possess beforehand wordnet
- 9 Chiefly followed by of or with: to cause (oneself) to obtain possession of something beforehand, or ahead of someone else. obsolete, reflexive, transitive
"to prepossess oneself of land"
Etymology
From pre- (prefix meaning ‘before, earlier in time’) + possess. Cognates * Late Latin prepossessus (“seized beforehand”)
See also for "prepossess"
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