obsession

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: ob=ses=sion

CIDE DICTIONARY

obsession, n. [L. obsessio: cf. F. obsession.].

•  The act of besieging.  Johnson.  [1913 Webster]
•  The state of being besieged; -- used specifically of a person beset by a spirit from without.  Tylor.  [1913 Webster]

  "Whether by obsession or possession, I will not determine."  [1913 Webster]
•  An excessive preoccupation of the thoughts or feelings; the persistent haunting or domination of the mind by a particular desire, idea, or image.  [PJC]
•  Any driving motive; a compelling goal; -- not necessarily implying a negative judgment, as does sense 3; as, the coach was obsessed with winning the state championship  [PJC]
•  Something that causes an obsession{3}.  [PJC]
•  The state of being obsessed.  [PJC]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

obsession, n.
1 the act of obsessing or the state of being obsessed.
2 a persistent idea or thought dominating a person's mind.
3 a condition in which such ideas are present.

Derivative

obsessional adj. obsessionalism n. obsessionally adv.

Etymology

L obsessio (as OBSESS)

THESAURUS

obsession

absorbed attention, absorption, abstraction, abulia, alienation, anxiety, anxiety equivalent, anxiety state, apathy, application, bedevilment, bewitchery, bewitchment, captivation, catatonic stupor, complex, compulsion, concentration, contemplation, conviction, deep study, deep thought, dejection, depression, detachment, elation, emotionalism, enchantment, engagement, engrossment, entrancement, euphoria, fascination, fixation, fixed idea, folie du doute, hang-up, hypercathexis, hypochondria, hysteria, hysterics, idee fixe, illusion, immersion, indifference, insensibility, intentness, involvement, irresistible impulse, lethargy, mania, maya, meditation, melancholia, mental distress, monomania, morbid drive, obsessive compulsion, passion, pathological indecisiveness, phobia, possession, preoccupation, prepossession, profound thought, psychalgia, psychomotor disturbance, rapt attention, ruling passion, single-mindedness, spirit control, studiousness, study, stupor, submersion, thing, tic, twitching, unresponsiveness, witchery, withdrawal

ROGET THESAURUS

obsession

Attack

N attack, assault, assault and battery, onset, onslaught, charge, aggression, offense, incursion, inroad, invasion, irruption, outbreak, estrapade, ruade, coupe de main, sally, sortie, camisade, raid, foray, run at, run against, dead set at, storm, storming, boarding, escalade, siege, investment, obsession, bombardment, cannonade, fire, volley, platoon fire, file fire, fusillade, sharpshooting, broadside, raking fire, cross fire, volley of grapeshot, whiff of the grape, feu d'enfer, cut, thrust, lunge, pass, passado, carte and tierce, home thrust, coupe de bec, kick, punch, battue, razzia, Jacquerie, dragonnade, devastation, eboulement, assailant, aggressor, invader, base of operations, point of attack, echelon, attacking, aggressive, offensive, obsidional, up in arms, on the offensive, Int, up and at them!, the din of arms, the yell of savage rage, the shriek of agony, the groan of death, their fatal hands no second stroke intend, thirst for glory quells the love of life.