different between possession vs avocation

English

Etymology

From Latin possessi?, possessi?nis.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /p??z???n/
• Rhymes: -???n

Noun

possession (countable and uncountable, plural possessions)

1. Control or occupancy of something for which one does not necessarily have private property rights.
2. Something that is owned.

   The car quickly became his most prized possession.

   I would gladly give all of my worldly possessions just to be able to do that.

3. Ownership; taking, holding, keeping something as one's own.

   The car is in my possession.

   I'm in possession of the car.

4. A territory under the rule of another country.

   Réunion is the largest of France's overseas possessions.

5. The condition or affliction of being possessed by a demon or other supernatural entity.

   Back then, people with psychiatric disorders were sometimes thought to be victims of demonic possession.
6. The condition of being under the control of strong emotion or madness.
7. (sports) Control of the ball; the opportunity to be on the offensive.

   The scoreboard shows a little football symbol next to the name of the team that has possession.
8. (Australian rules football) A disposal of the ball during a game, i.e. a kick or a handball.
   • 2019 In the mix: Who's pushing for selection for round eight? Australian Football League, 7 May 2019. Accessed 7 May 2019.

     Defender Colin O'Riordan had 41 possessions in the NEAFL last week to continue his outstanding form, while Ryan Clarke had 47 in the Swans' big loss to Brisbane.

9. (linguistics) A syntactic relationship between two nouns or nominals that may be used to indicate ownership.

   Some languages distinguish between a construction like 'my car', which shows alienable possession — the car could become someone else's — and one like 'my foot', which has inalienable possession — my foot will always be mine.

Usage notes

• One who possesses is often said to have possession (of), hold possession (of), or be in possession (of).
• One who acquires is often said to take possession (of), gain possession (of), or come into possession (of).

Synonyms

• ight (obsolete)
• (taking, holding, keeping something as one's own): owndom, retention
• See also Thesaurus:property

Antonyms

• (taking, holding, keeping something as one's own): absence

Hyponyms

• mortmain

Translations

Verb

possession (third-person singular simple present possessions, present participle possessioning, simple past and past participle possessioned)

1. (obsolete) To invest with property.

French

Etymology

From Latin possessionem (nominative of possessio)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /p?.s?.sj??/

Noun

possession f (plural possessions)

1. possession

Derived terms

• prendre possession

Further reading

• “possession” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

English

Etymology

From Latin ?voc?ti? (“a distraction”), from ?voc? (“I call off, distract”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /av?(?)?ke???n/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ævo??ke???n/, /æv??ke???n/
• Hyphenation: av?o?ca?tion

Noun

avocation (countable and uncountable, plural avocations)

1. (obsolete) A calling away; a diversion.
   • 1749, Henry Fielding, Tom Jones, Folio Society 1973, p. 204:

     But though she could neither sleep nor rest in her bed, yet, having no avocation from it, she was found there by her father at his return from Allworthy's, which was not till past ten o'clock in the morning.

2. A hobby or recreational or leisure pursuit.
   • 1934, Robert Frost, Two Tramps in Mud Time

     But yield who will to their separation,

     My object in living is to unite

     My avocation and my vocation

     As my two eyes make one in sight.

   • 18 April, 1986, Ronald Reagan, Proclamation 5462

     Gardening is a wholesome avocation that encourages appreciation for nature and concern for the preservation and enhancement of our environment.

3. That which calls one away from one's regular employment or vocation.
4. Pursuits; duties; affairs which occupy one's time; usual employment; vocation.
   • November 1, 1711, William King, Letter to Jonathan Swift

     I have several things on the anvil, and near finished, that perhaps might be useful, if published: but the continual avocation by business, the impositions on me by impertinent visits, and the uneasiness of writing, which grows more intolerable to me every day, I doubt, will prevent my going any farther.

   • I have been received with unsurpassable politeness, delicacy, sweet temper, hospitality, consideration, and with unsurpassable respect for the privacy daily enforced upon me by the nature of my avocation here and the state of my health.

5. The calling of a case from an inferior to a superior court.

Synonyms

• (hobby): See also Thesaurus:hobby

Related terms

• avocational
• avocationally
• vocation

Translations

See also

• volunteerism