possess

Compared meaning: to have or hold something (verb).

比较义项：拥有、持有某物（动词）。

• have

  The plain, all-purpose word for possessing something; used constantly in everyday speech for almost anything, with no sense of formality or legal ownership.

  最普通、万能的“拥有”说法，日常口语中几乎什么都能用，不带正式或法律所有权的意味。

  Do you have a pen I could borrow for a minute?

  你有笔可以借我用一分钟吗？

• own

  Emphasizes legal or rightful ownership, usually of property or valuable things you could buy, sell or inherit; sounds odd for feelings, relationships or abstract qualities.

  强调合法或名正言顺的所有权，通常用于可以买卖、继承的财产或贵重物品；用于感受、关系或抽象品质时会显得别扭。

  They finally own their house after paying off the entire mortgage.

  还清全部房贷后，他们终于拥有了自己的房子。

• possess 本词

  A formal or literary word, common in written, legal or academic contexts, or to stress a rare and valuable quality; sounds stiff for ordinary everyday objects.

  较正式或书面的用词，常见于书面语、法律或学术语境，也用来强调难得而可贵的品质；用来说日常普通物品会显得生硬。

  Few people possess the patience needed for this kind of work.

  很少有人具备做这种工作所需的耐心。

All three verbs can mean to have something. Have is plain and all-purpose, used constantly for almost anything. Own stresses legal ownership, usually of property or things you could buy or sell. Possess is formal or literary, common in legal or academic writing.

这三个词都可以表示“拥有某物”，但语气不同：have最普通随意，日常什么都能用；own强调合法、正式的所有权，多用于财产等实物；possess较正式或书面，常用来强调难得的品质，或用于法律语境，日常口语中会显得生硬。这里不比较have表示“有（经历、感受、关系等）”的其他用法，如have a headache、have a sister，也不涉及own作形容词“自己的”这一用法。