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
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
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