prepossess
/ˌpɹiːpəˈzɛs/
Meaning
Chiefly followed by by or with: to preoccupy (someone) in an emotional or mental way, so as to preclude other things.
To cause (someone) to think a certain way.
Chiefly followed by by or with: to preoccupy (someone) in an emotional or mental way, so as to preclude other things.
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.
Chiefly followed by of or with: to cause (oneself) to obtain possession of something beforehand, or ahead of someone else.
To occupy or possess (something) beforehand.
Chiefly followed by by or with: to preoccupy (someone) in an emotional or mental way, so as to preclude other things.
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.
Chiefly followed by of or with: to cause (oneself) to obtain possession of something beforehand, or ahead of someone else.
To occupy or possess (something) beforehand.
Examples
[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.
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; […]
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.
M. Krempe was a little squat man, with a gruff voice and a repulsive countenance; the teacher, therefore, did not prepossess me in favour of his doctrine. Besides, I had a contempt for the uses of modern natural philosophy.
Word Forms
prepossesses
prepossessing
prepossessed
Etymology
From pre- (prefix meaning ‘before, earlier in time’) + possess.
Cognates
* Late Latin prepossessus (“seized beforehand”)