prepossession


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Related to prepossession: preposition

pre·pos·ses·sion

 (prē′pə-zĕsh′ən)
n.
1. A preconception or prejudice.
2. The state of being preoccupied with thoughts, opinions, or feelings.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

prepossession

(ˌpriːpəˈzɛʃən)
n
1. the state or condition of being prepossessed
2. a prejudice or bias, esp a favourable one
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

pre•pos•ses•sion

(ˌpri pəˈzɛʃ ən)

n.
1. the state of being prepossessed.
2. a prejudice, esp. one in favor of a person or thing.
[1640–50]
pre`pos•ses′sion•ar′y, adj.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Noun1.prepossession - the condition of being prepossessed; "the king's prepossession in my favor is very valuable"
condition, status - a state at a particular time; "a condition (or state) of disrepair"; "the current status of the arms negotiations"
2.prepossession - an opinion formed beforehand without adequate evidence; "he did not even try to confirm his preconceptions"
parti pris, preconceived idea, preconceived notion, preconceived opinion, preconception
opinion, persuasion, sentiment, thought, view - a personal belief or judgment that is not founded on proof or certainty; "my opinion differs from yours"; "I am not of your persuasion"; "what are your thoughts on Haiti?"
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

prepossession

noun
1. An inclination for or against that inhibits impartial judgment:
bias, one-sidedness, partiality, partisanship, prejudice, tendentiousness.
2. Total occupation of the attention or of the mind:
absorption, engrossment, enthrallment, immersion, preoccupation.
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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References in classic literature ?
No prepossession for the mere antique (and in this case we can imagine no other prepossession) should induce us to dignify with the sacred name of poetry, a series, such as this, of elaborate and threadbare compliments, stitched, apparently, together, without fancy, without plausibility, and without even an attempt at adaptation.
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"As to her YOUNGER daughters, she could not take upon her to say-- she could not positively answer-- but she did not KNOW of any prepossession; her ELDEST daughter, she must just mention-- she felt it incumbent on her to hint, was likely to be very soon engaged."
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It opens his designs to his family, it introduces you among them, it diffuses through the party those pleasantest feelings of our nature, eager curiosity and warm prepossession. How cheerful, how animated, how suspicious, how busy their imaginations all are!"
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Grewgious should now know likewise--that I took a great prepossession against Mr.
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This latter part we found to concern us directly, though we knew it to be false; yet, as my partner said, very justly, if we had fallen into their hands, and they had had such a prepossession against us beforehand, it had been in vain for us to have defended ourselves, or to hope for any good quarter at their hands; especially considering that our accusers had been our judges, and that we could have expected nothing from them but what rage would have dictated, and an ungoverned passion have executed.
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If she suspected ANY prepossession elsewhere, it could not be in THAT quarter.
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In fact, Miss Knag had conceived an incipient affection for Kate Nickleby, after witnessing her failure that morning, and this short conversation with her superior increased the favourable prepossession to a most surprising extent; which was the more remarkable, as when she first scanned that young lady's face and figure, she had entertained certain inward misgivings that they would never agree.
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I hope it may not be my worthy friend Mr Aaron, for, to tell you the truth, Mortimer, I doubt he may have a prepossession against me.
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What infatuation is it, what obstinate prepossession, that blinds you to that?
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It was, nevertheless, invariably found, after the transient enthusiasm for the early Congresses was over, that the attention and attachment of the people were turned anew to their own particular governments; that the federal council was at no time the idol of popular favor; and that opposition to proposed enlargements of its powers and importance was the side usually taken by the men who wished to build their political consequence on the prepossessions of their fellow-citizens.
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He saw that life itself infinitely outvalued anything that could be feigned about it, but its richness seemed to corrupt him, and he had not the clear, ethical conscience which forced George Eliot to be realistic when probably her artistic prepossessions were romantic.
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As for political prepossessions, they had nothing to do with the question.
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