Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of Pose?

\Pose\, n. [AS. gepose; of uncertain origin; cf. W. pas a cough, Skr. k[=a]s to cough, and E. wheeze.] A cold in the head; catarrh. [Obs.] --Chaucer.
\Pose\, n. [F. pose, fr. poser. See {Pose}, v. t.] The attitude or position of a person; the position of the body or of any member of the body; especially, a position formally assumed for the sake of effect; an artificial position; as, the pose of an actor; the pose of an artist's model or of a statue.
\Pose\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Posed}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Posing}.] [F. poser to place, to put, L. pausare to pause, in LL. also, to place, put, fr. L. pausa a pause, Gr. ?, fr. ? to make to cease, prob. akin to E. few. In compounds, this word appears corresponding to L. ponere to put, place, the substitution in French having been probably due to confusion of this word with L. positio position, fr. ponere. See {Few}, and cf. {Appose}, {Dispose}, {Oppose}, {Pause}, {Repose}, {Position}.] To place in an attitude or fixed position, for the sake of effect; to arrange the posture and drapery of (a person) in a studied manner; as, to pose a model for a picture; to pose a sitter for a portrait.
\Pose\, v. i. To assume and maintain a studied attitude, with studied arrangement of drapery; to strike an attitude; to attitudinize; figuratively, to assume or affect a certain character; as, she poses as a prude. He . . . posed before her as a hero. --Thackeray.
\Pose\, v. t. [Shortened from appose, for oppose. See 2d {Appose}, {Oppose}.] 1. To interrogate; to question. [Obs.] ``She . . . posed him and sifted him.'' --Bacon. 2. To question with a view to puzzling; to embarrass by questioning or scrutiny; to bring to a stand. A question wherewith a learned Pharisee thought to pose and puzzle him. --Barrow.