PREPOSSESS • FREE-TRANSLATOR.COM • Definition of Prepossess

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verb

Prepossess v. t. (past & past part. prepossessed; pres. part. prepossessing)

To preoccupy, as ground or land; to take previous possession of.

To preoccupy, as the mind or heart, so as to preclude other things; hence, to bias or prejudice; to give a previous inclination to, for or against anything; esp., to induce a favorable opinion beforehand, or at the outset. "It created him enemies, and prepossessed the lord general."

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Etymology of 'Prepossess'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

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"Prepossess" Quotes from Famous Books

... Good-breeding alone can prepossess people in our favour at first sight; more time being necessary to discover greater talents. Good-breeding, however, does not consist in low bows, and formal ceremony; but in an easy civil, and ...

— The Young Gentleman and Lady's Monitor, and English Teacher's Assistant • John Hamilton Moore

... the minuet, with grace and ease, is essential. The possessing this branch of dancing is of great service on the theatre, even to an actor. The effect of it steals into his manner, and gait, and gives him an air of presenting himself, that is sure to prepossess in his favor. Persons of every size or shape are susceptible of grace and improvement from it. The shoulders so drawn back as not to protuberate before, but as it were, to retreat from sight, or as the French express it bien effacees, the knees well turning outwards, with a free play; ...

— A Treatise on the Art of Dancing • Giovanni-Andrea Gallini

... at Pirna; Christian Schuetze, court-preacher at Dresden, Andrew Freyhub and Wolfgang Harder professors in Leipzig, and others. The real leaders of these Philippists were Peucer and Cracow. Their scheme was to prepossess the Elector against the loyal adherents of Luther, especially Flacius, gradually to win him over to their liberal views, and, at the proper moment, to surrender and deliver Electoral Saxony to the Calvinists. In prosecuting ...

— Historical Introductions to the Symbolical Books of the Evangelical Lutheran Church • Friedrich Bente

Words linked to "Prepossess" : prejudice, act upon, preoccupy, have, impress, bias, influence, own, possess, predetermine