prepossess
Americanverb (used with object)
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to possess or dominate mentally beforehand, as a prejudice does.
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to prejudice or bias, especially favorably.
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to impress favorably beforehand or at the outset.
verb
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to preoccupy or engross mentally
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to influence in advance for or against a person or thing; prejudice; bias
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to make a favourable impression on beforehand
Etymology
Origin of prepossess
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
His aim is to explore the Antarctic coast south of Australia and prepossess it for his dominion.
From Time Magazine Archive
This was a measure which I could not but approve, and endeavoured by some small presents to prepossess our couriers in our favour.
From Voyages from Montreal Through the Continent of North America to the Frozen and Pacific Oceans in 1789 and 1793 Vol. II by Alexander Mackenzie
This was so contrived, that he might gain time to prepossess the Bishop for his purposes.
From The Autobiography of Madame Guyon by Jeanne Marie Bouvier de la Motte Guyon
Those who have nothing particular about them, excepting being noblemen--and it does prepossess people--have married the most beautiful girls.
From Withered Leaves. Vol. I. (of III) A Novel by Rudolf von Gottschall
Even Irving, that most dispassionate of historians, has called the action of the court-martial just mentioned an "extraordinary measure to prepossess the public mind against him."
From Great Men and Famous Women. Vol. 6 A series of pen and pencil sketches of the lives of more than 200 of the most prominent personages in History by Charles F. (Charles Francis) Horne
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
