Prepossess

Quick meaning: Prepossess is a verb meaning Chiefly followed by by or with: to preoccupy (someone) in an emotional or mental way, so as to preclude other things.

Meaning

Chiefly followed by by or with: to preoccupy (someone) in an emotional or mental way, so as to preclude other things.

More Meanings

1. To cause (someone) to think a certain way.
2. To occupy or possess (something) beforehand.
3. Chiefly followed by of or with: to cause (oneself) to obtain possession of something beforehand, or ahead of someone else.
4. (by extension) 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.

Example Sentences

A ſurer ſigne of his loſt ſhame he could not have given, then ſeeking thus unſeaſonably to prepoſſeſſe Men of his modeſty.

[…] I vvas no novice in theſe matters, ſince he had taken me out of a common bavvdy-houſe: nor had I ſaid one thing to prepoſſeſs him of my virginity; […]

[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.

VVith partial eye vve're apt to ſee / The man of noble pedigree. / VVe're prepoſſeſt my lord inherits / In ſome degree his grandſire's merits; / For thoſe vve find upon record, / But find him nothing but my lord.

Word Forms

• prepossesses
• prepossessing
• prepossessed

Synonyms for prepossess

Depending on context, synonyms include prejudice.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include prejudice, preoccupate, forebusy, preempt, prepose, preconsume.

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