REPOSSESS

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does repossess mean? 

• REPOSSESS (verb)
  The verb REPOSSESS has 2 senses:

1. claim back

2. regain possession of something

  Familiarity information: REPOSSESS used as a verb is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• REPOSSESS (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they repossess    ... he / she / it repossesses   
Past simple: repossessed   
Past participle: repossessed   
-ing form: repossessing   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Claim back

Classified under:

Verbs of buying, selling, owning

Synonyms:

reclaim; repossess

Hypernyms (to "repossess" is one way to...):

acquire; get (come into the possession of something concrete or abstract)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "repossess"):

distrain (legally take something in place of a debt payment)

foreclose (subject to foreclosing procedures; take away the right of mortgagors to redeem their mortgage)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s something from somebody

Sense 2

Meaning:

Regain possession of something

Classified under:

Verbs of buying, selling, owning

Synonyms:

repossess; take back

Hypernyms (to "repossess" is one way to...):

take (take into one's possession)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

repossession (the action of regaining possession (especially the seizure of collateral securing a loan that is in default))

 Context examples 

The others returned, the room filled again, benches were reclaimed and repossessed, and another hour of pleasure or of penance was to be sat out, another hour of music was to give delight or the gapes, as real or affected taste for it prevailed.

(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)