prepossessing
Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2005 2:50 am
by KatyBr
Main Entry: pre·pos·sess
Pronunciation: "prE-p&-'zes also -'ses
Function: transitive verb
Date: 1614
1 obsolete : to take previous possession of
2 : to cause to be preoccupied
3 : to influence beforehand especially favorably
Kt
mostly number 3 here.
Posted: Wed Dec 07, 2005 3:50 pm
by M. Henri Day
In my idiolect, a prepossessing appearance is one which disposes others favourably to the person concerned at first glance ; i e, the the morpheme «pre» here indicating rather «at first contact», i e, before deeper knowledge has been obtained (but not before one has seen the person in question, which would indeed be rather odd). At any rate, a prepossessing word in itself, which doesn't lose its charm on longer acquaintance....
Henri