Loading..

Loading...

American Dictionary of the English Language

Dictionary Search

Prepossess


PREPOSSESS', verb transitive [pre and possess.] To preoccupy, as ground or land; to take previous possession of.

1. To preoccupy the mind or heart so as to preclude other things; hence, to bias or prejudice. A mind prepossessed with opinions favorable to a person or cause, will not readily admit unfavorable opinions to take possession, nor yield to reasons that disturb the possessors. When a lady has prepossessed the heart or affections of a man, he does not readily listen to suggestions that tend to remove the prepossession. prepossess is more frequently used in a good sense than prejudice.