PREPOSSESS

prejudice, prepossess

(verb) influence (somebody’s) opinion in advance

prepossess

(verb) make a positive impression (on someone) beforehand; “A prepossessing appearance”

prepossess

(verb) cause to be preoccupied; “The idea of his failure prepossesses him”

prepossess

(verb) possess beforehand

Source: WordNet® 3.1

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Etymology

Verb

prepossess (third-person singular simple present prepossesses, present participle prepossessing, simple past and past participle prepossessed)

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; especially, to induce a favorable opinion beforehand, or at the outset.

Source: Wiktionary

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Pre`pos*sess", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Prepossessed; p. pr. & vb. n. Prepossessing.]

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

2. 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. Evelyn.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition

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