pose

1
[ pohz ]
See synonyms for: poseposedposesposing on Thesaurus.com

verb (used without object),posed, pos·ing.
  1. to assume a particular attitude or stance, especially with the hope of impressing others: He likes to pose as an authority on literature.

  2. to present oneself insincerely: He seems to be posing in all his behavior.

  1. to assume or hold a physical attitude, as for an artistic purpose: to pose for a painter.

verb (used with object),posed, pos·ing.
  1. to place in a suitable position or attitude for a picture, tableau, or the like: to pose a group for a photograph.

  2. to assert, state, or put forward: That poses a difficult problem.

  1. to put or place.

noun
  1. a bodily attitude or posture: Her pose had a note of defiance in it.

  2. a mental attitude or posture: a pose cultivated by the upper classes.

  1. the act or period of posing, as for a picture.

  2. a position or attitude assumed in posing, or exhibited by a figure in a picture, sculptural work, tableau, or the like.

  3. a moment in which a dancer remains motionless, usually in an assumed posture.

  4. a studied attitude; affectation: His liberalism is merely a pose.

Origin of pose

1
First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English verb posen, from Middle French poser, from Late Latin pausāre “to stop, cease, rest,” derivative of Latin pausa “stop, cessation” (see pause); French poser has taken over the basic sense of Latin pōnere “to put, place” and represents it in French borrowings of its prefixed derivatives (see compose, depose, etc.)

synonym study For pose

7. See position.

Other words for pose

Other words from pose

  • pos·a·ble, adjective

Other definitions for pose (2 of 3)

pose2
[ pohz ]

verb (used with object),posed, pos·ing.
  1. Archaic. to perplex or baffle, as by a difficult question or problem.

  2. Obsolete. to examine by putting questions.

Origin of pose

2
First recorded in 1520–30; shortening of obsolete appose, variant of oppose, used in sense of Latin appōnere “to put to”

Other definitions for posé (3 of 3)

posé
[ poh-zey; French paw-zey ]

noun,plural po·sés [poh-zeyz; French paw-zey]. /poʊˈzeɪz; French pɔˈzeɪ/. Ballet.
  1. a movement in which the dancer steps, in any desired position, from one foot to the other with a straight knee onto the flat foot, demi-pointe, or pointe.

Origin of posé

3
First recorded in 1925–30; from French: “poised,” past participle of poser “to pose”; see pose1

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use pose in a sentence

  • He remembered something—the cherished pose of being a man plunged fathoms-deep in business.

    St. Martin's Summer | Rafael Sabatini
  • She was growing a little stout, but it did not seem to detract an iota from the grace of every step, pose, gesture.

  • Ollie saw someone standing before it, bending slightly forward in the pose of expectation.

    The Bondboy | George W. (George Washington) Ogden
  • But she was young enough and pretty enough to pay little heed to pose or background.

    The Red Year | Louis Tracy
  • What's more, I s'pose he can't even see them Injun pony tracks around the body.

    Mystery Ranch | Arthur Chapman

British Dictionary definitions for pose (1 of 2)

pose1

/ (pəʊz) /


verb
  1. to assume or cause to assume a physical attitude, as for a photograph or painting

  2. (intr often foll by as) to pretend to be or present oneself (as something one is not)

  1. (intr) to affect an attitude or play a part in order to impress others

  2. (tr) to put forward, ask, or assert: to pose a question

noun
  1. a physical attitude, esp one deliberately adopted for or represented by an artist or photographer

  2. a mode of behaviour that is adopted for effect

Origin of pose

1
C14: from Old French poser to set in place, from Late Latin pausāre to cease, put down (influenced by Latin pōnere to place)

British Dictionary definitions for pose (2 of 2)

pose2

/ (pəʊz) /


verb(tr)
  1. rare to puzzle or baffle

  2. archaic to question closely

Origin of pose

2
C16: from obsolete appose, from Latin appōnere to put to, set against; see oppose

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012