obsess
Definitions
To fill someone's mind continuously and uncontrollably; to think about something all the time.
使（某人）痴迷、念念不忘；不停地想着某事。
Root Breakdown
Root-derivedob- (against, over) + sess (sit) = 'to sit over / besiege.' Latin obsidēre meant to sit down in front of a city and lay siege to it. A thought that obsesses you behaves exactly like an army camped outside your mind — it sits there, surrounds you, and won't leave.
Root sit still carries 98 more wordsWhy It Means This
The siege image explains why obsess feels so trapping. In ancient warfare, to obsidēre a town was to surround it so nothing could get in or out. When a worry or desire obsesses you, it lays the same kind of siege on your attention — you can't think past it. This is also why we say someone is 'consumed' or 'gripped' by an obsession.
Usage Guide
Two patterns: 'obsess over/about something' (informal, intransitive — He obsesses over money) and 'be obsessed with something' (the far more common passive form). The bare active 'something obsesses me' exists but sounds literary. In casual speech, 'I'm obsessed with this song' just means you love it intensely, not that you're suffering.
Example Sentences
- 1.
He obsesses over every tiny detail of his work.
- 2.
She was obsessed with finding out the truth.
- 3.
Don't let one bad review obsess you.