dispossession
/,dispə'zeʃn/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- The act of depriving someone of the possession of land or property, especially by legal process: The core meaning refers to the forced removal of a person from property they occupy or own, often through official legal action.
- The state of being deprived of possession: It can also describe the condition or fact of having been dispossessed.
- (Archaic/Rare) The act of freeing someone from an evil spirit; exorcism: This is a specialized, less common usage.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- The history of the region is marked by the dispossession of indigenous peoples from their ancestral lands.
- The landlord sought the tenant's dispossession for non-payment of rent.
- After the court order, they faced imminent dispossession from their home.
- (Archaic) The priest performed a rite of dispossession on the afflicted individual.
Advanced Usage
- "Dispossession" is often used in socio-political, historical, and legal contexts to discuss themes of injustice, colonialism, or economic inequality. It implies a power imbalance where one entity (e.g., a state, corporation, or individual) uses authority or force to take property from another.
- The documentary examines the legacy of land dispossession and its intergenerational trauma.
Variants and Related Words
- Dispossess (verb): To deprive someone of the possession of land or property.
- The government's policy threatened to dispossess thousands of farmers.
- Dispossessed (adjective/noun): Describing those who have been dispossessed, often used collectively.
- Charities work to aid the urban dispossessed.
- Possession (noun): The state of having or owning something. (Antonymic root)
Synonyms
- Eviction: The act of expelling someone, especially a tenant, from a property.
- Expropriation: The action by the state or an authority of taking property from its owner for public use or benefit.
- Ouster: A term for ejection from a property or position.
- Deprivation: The lack or denial of something considered essential. (More general)
Related Phrases
- Land dispossession: A common collocation referring specifically to the taking of land.
- The treaty led to widespread land dispossession.
- Forcible dispossession: Emphasizes the use of force or coercion in the act.
Related Idioms
- While not a common idiom itself, the concept is central to phrases like "to be robbed of one's birthright," which conveys a profound sense of unjust dispossession.
Noun
- freeing from evil spirits
- the expulsion of someone (such as a tenant) from the possession of land by process of law