(v. a.prep.) : possĭdĕo (archaic orthogr. POSIDET, Epitaphs of the Scipios; Sentent. de Limit. Genuat. Rudorff; in the latter also POSIDENT, POSIDEBVNT, POSIDETO, POSIDERE, as well as POSEDEIT and POSEDET, for possedit), sēdi, sessum, 2, v. a. old prep. port; Gr. προτί, πρός (v. pono), and sedeo
* To have and hold, to be master of, to own, possess (syn.: teneo, habeo).
* Lit.: uti nunc possidetis eum fundum q. d. a. (i. e. quo de agitur), quod nec vi nec clam nec precario alter ab altero possidetis, ita possidentis: adversus ea vim fieri veto, an ancient formula of the praetor,Fest. p. 233 Müll.: qui in alienā potestate sunt, rem peculiarem tenere possunt, habere et possidere non possunt: quia possessio non tantum corporis, sed etiam juris est,Dig. 41, 2, 49: ex edicto bona possidere,Cic. Quint. 6, 25: partem agri,Caes. B. G. 6, 11: solum bello captum,Liv. 26, 11: Galli Italiam maximis plurimisque urbibus possident,Just. 38, 4, 9: uniones,Plin. 9, 35, 58, § 119.
* Absol., to have possessions, to possess lands, be settled: juxta litora maris possidere,Dig. 47, 9, 7: possidere trans flumen,ib. 43, 14, 1.
* Trop., to possess, to have a thing (class.): possidere nomen,Plaut. Mil. 2, 5, 27: palmam,id. Most. 1, 1, 31: secli mores in se,id. Truc. prol. 13: inverecundum animi ingenium, Poët. ap. Cic. Inv. 1, 45, 83: plus fidei quam artis, plus veritatis quam disciplinae possidet in se,Cic. Rosc. Com. 6, 17; id. Rosc. Am. 24, 66; Ov. F. 1, 586: possedit favorem plebis Clodius,Val. Max. 3, 5, 3.
* To occupy, abide in a place (poet.): victrix possidet umbra nemus,Mart. 6, 76, 6: Zephyri possidet aura nemus,Prop. 1, 19, 2; Luc. 2, 454.

s. TLL