pose

¹

[ pohz ]

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.

3. to assume or hold a physical attitude, as for an artistic purpose:

   to pose for a painter.

   Synonyms: model, sit

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.

3. 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.

3. the act or period of posing, as for a picture.
4. a position or attitude assumed in posing, or exhibited by a figure in a picture, sculptural work, tableau, or the like.
5. a moment in which a dancer remains motionless, usually in an assumed posture.
6. a studied attitude; affectation:

   His liberalism is merely a pose.

pose

²

[ 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.

posé

³

[ poh-zey; French paw-zey ]

noun

, Ballet.

, plural po·sés [poh-, zeyz, paw-, zey].

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.

pose

¹

/ pəʊz /

verb

1. rare.
   to puzzle or baffle
2. archaic.
   to question closely

pose

²

/ pəʊz /

verb

1. to assume or cause to assume a physical attitude, as for a photograph or painting
2. introften foll byas to pretend to be or present oneself (as something one is not)
3. intr to affect an attitude or play a part in order to impress others
4. 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

Other Words From

• pos·a·ble adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of pose¹

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” ( 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 ( compose, depose, etc.)

Origin of pose²

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

Origin of pose³

First recorded in 1925–30; from French: “poised,” past participle of poser “to pose”; pose ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of pose¹

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

Origin of pose²

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

Synonym Study

See position.

Example Sentences

Homan promised to resume workplace immigration raids and prioritize immigrants who pose threats to public safety and national security for deportation.

From Los Angeles Times

In response, prosecutors argued that the request for bail should be denied, alleging that Mr Combs "poses serious risks of danger and obstruction of these proceedings".

From BBC

No wonder the figure’s three-quarter view cemented the standard for European portraiture for centuries, replacing frontal or, more often, profile poses that harkened back to classical Greece and Rome.

From Los Angeles Times

Since that fateful day, I have been writing about the extraordinary dangers Trump poses for the country.

From Salon

Now pondering whether he should stay or go, Gatland posed the question who could come in and replace him, as he highlighted Welsh rugby's flaws.

From BBC

Related Words

• give
• present
• suggest

More About Pose

What is the basic definition of pose?

Pose means to position your body in a particular way for a painting, picture, or similar situation. Pose also means the particular positioning you assume as part of posing. To pose also means to state or assert something. Pose has several other senses as a verb and a noun.

When people pose, they arrange their body and face in a certain position for some reason. For example, people often pose for pictures by making a peace sign with their hand or blowing a kiss to the camera. Before cameras were invented, politicians and other important people would pose for portraits, which often involved remaining completely still for hours at a time. A person who poses is called a poser.

• Real-life examples: Supermodels will pose when they reach the end of a catwalk. People often pose in selfies that they then post on social media. It is thought that the woman who posed for Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa was Lisa Gherardini del Giocondo.
• Used in a sentence: My family posed for a picture to use on a Christmas card. 

In this same sense, pose means a specific arrangement of the body and face that a person assumes for some reason.

• Real-life examples: Yoga involves positioning your body in a variety of poses. Many dance routines involve performing a variety of poses. Your mom likely wants you to have a nice pose for your school picture.
• Used in a sentence: The painting depicted the king in a very powerful pose.

As a verb, pose can also mean to assert, state, or put forward.

• Real-life examples: Reporters pose questions to people they are interviewing. An active volcano often poses problems to people who live nearby. A new job often poses many new challenges that a person must overcome.
• Used in a sentence: Pollution poses a threat to a healthy environment. 

Where does pose come from?

The first records of pose come from around 1325. It ultimately comes from the Late Latin pausāre, meaning “to stop” or “to cease.”

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to pose?

• poser (noun)
• posable (adjective)
• posingly (adverb)

What are some synonyms for pose?

• position
• model
• posture
• offer
• put forward
• fake
• pretend

What are some words that share a root or word element with pose? 

• poser
• poseur

What are some words that often get used in discussing pose?

• picture
• painting
• photograph
• statue
• model
• yoga
• dance

How is pose used in real life?

Pose is a common word that most often means to position your body in a certain way for a picture or photograph.

Will there ever be a time where men stop posing with fish and dead deer😒

— Sharmila Nicollet (@MissNicollet) December 8, 2020

I’m not very good at skating but does anyone want to just put on fantastic outfits and go strike poses on an ice rink for awhile?

— Shalyah Evans (@ShalyahEvans) February 20, 2018

COW UPDATE – The cows are back to their farm. No injuries and thankfully no cows arrested. Transporting them might pose a problem.

— York Regional Police (@YRP) February 14, 2017

Try using pose!

Is pose used correctly in the following sentence?

The undercover police officer posed as a mail carrier while following the suspect.