English terms dictionary. 2015.
obsess — ob*sess , v. i. To be excessively or persistently preoccupied with something; usually used with on or over; as, to obsess over an imagined insult. [PJC] At all ages children are driven to figure out what it takes to succeed among their peers and… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
obsess — has been used since the 16c as a transitive verb, often in the passive with obsessed as a quasi adjective: • Modern society is obsessed with romanticizing ancient societies Times, 1980. In the later part of the 20c a new intransitive use emerged … Modern English usage
obsess — ob*sess , v. t. [L. obsessus, p. p. of obsidere to besiege; ob (see {Ob }) + sedere to sit.] 1. To besiege; to beset. [archaic] Sir T. Elyot. [1913 Webster] 2. To excessively preoccupy the thoughts or feelings of; to haunt the mind persistently.… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
obsess — I verb agitate, annoy, bedevil, beset, besiege, bewitch, compel, control, craze, dement, derange, discompose, disconcert, distress, dominate, drive, enthrall, gnaw, haunt, hold captive, hound, infatuate, madden, nag, overpower, pervade, plague,… … Law dictionary
obsess — (v.) c.1500, to besiege, from L. obsessus, pp. of obsidere besiege, occupy, lit. sit opposite to, from ob against (see OB (Cf. ob )) + sedere sit (see SEDENTARY (Cf. sedentary)). Of evil spirits, to haunt, from 1530s … Etymology dictionary
obsess — [v] preoccupy beset, consume, dominate, engross, grip, harass, haunt, hold, infatuate, possess, torment; concept 403 … New thesaurus
obsess — ☆ obsess [əb ses′] vt. [< L obsessus, pp. of obsidere, to besiege < ob (see OB ) + sedere,SIT] to haunt or trouble in mind, esp. to an abnormal degree; preoccupy greatly vi. to be obsessed or preoccupied: usually with about, over, or on … English World dictionary
obsess — UK [əbˈses] / US verb Word forms obsess : present tense I/you/we/they obsess he/she/it obsesses present participle obsessing past tense obsessed past participle obsessed 1) [transitive] if someone or something obsesses you, they are so important… … English dictionary
obsess — [[t]əbse̱s[/t]] obsesses, obsessing, obsessed V ERG If something obsesses you or if you obsess about something, you keep thinking about it and find it difficult to think about anything else. [V n] I must admit that maps obsess me... [V n] A… … English dictionary
obsess — verb 1 (transitive usually passive) if something or someone obsesses you, you think about them all the time and you cannot think of anything else: be obsessed with: You ve always been obsessed with making money. | He had become obsessed with… … Longman dictionary of contemporary English
