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
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It was a type he was by no means fond of, and he was quite aware that circumstances were scarcely likely to prepossess a man of that description in his favour.
From For Jacinta by Bindloss, Harold
In this Disguise you take a full Aim, and by presenting your Readers with a Prologue to your own Praise, you would prepossess them with Applause, and fondly surfeit on the Eccho.
From Pamela Censured by Anonymous
Moreover, not only did the facility of conquering the French prepossess him in favour of this journal; but also the circumstance that it—cost him nothing.
From Translations from the German (Vol 3 of 3) Tales by Musaeus, Tieck, Richter by Carlyle, Thomas
From this company, most of whom conduct themselves in manner which fails to prepossess us, Mrs. Beauchamp Brown alone emerges with a distinct identity.
From Lippincott's Magazine of Popular Literature and Science, Vol. 26, October, 1880 by Various
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.