Meanings
pose1
plural poses
- archaicCommon cold, head cold; catarrh.
The Ague, Cough, the Pyony, the Pose. Aches within, and accidents without, [...]
1903, Thomas Heywood, Lucian (of Samosata.), Desiderius Erasmus, Pleasant Dialogues and Dramma's3 more examples
Now […] have we many chimnies, and yet our tenderlings complain of rheums, catarrhs, and poses.
1586, William Harrison, Description of EnglandMegg yesterday was troubled with a pose, Which, this night hardned, sodders up her nose.
1825, Robert Herrick, The poetical works of Robert HerrickAnd whereas some say, that they which use oft washing of their heads shall be very prone to headache, that is not true, but only in such that, after they have been washed, roll up their hair (being yet wet) about their heads; the cold whereof is dangerous to bring them to catarrhs and poses, with other inconveniences.
2009, Eucharius Rösslin, Thomas Raynalde, Elaine Hobby, The Birth of Mankind
pose2
present singular third person poses · participle present posing · participle past posed · past posed
- transitiveTo place in an attitude or fixed position, for the sake of effect.
To pose a model for a picture.
- transitiveTo constitute (a danger, a threat, a risk, etc.).
Rather, they are concerned with the threat Iran poses to the region and the world.
2010, Noam Chomsky, “The Iranian threat”, in Z Magazine, volume 23, number 72 more examples
Rooney's United team-mate Chris Smalling was given his debut at right-back and was able to adjust to the international stage in relatively relaxed fashion as Bulgaria barely posed a threat of any consequence.
2011 September 2, Phil McNulty, “Bulgaria 0-3 England”, in BBCThe threat the most radical of them pose is evidently far greater at home than abroad.
2014 November 27, Ian Black, “Courts kept busy as Jordan works to crush support for Isis”, in The Guardian - transitiveTo falsely impersonate (another person or occupation) primarily for the purpose of accomplishing something or reaching a goal.
- intransitiveTo behave affectedly in order to attract interest or admiration.
dressed-to-kill babes and their sugar daddies would rather pose in malls, and teenagers can find McDonald's anywhere, leaving Váci utterly dependent on tourists for its livelihood and bustle.
2002, Charles Hebbert, Dan Richardson, The Rough Guide to Budapest, 2nd edition, London: Rough Guides, →ISBN, page 73 - obsoletetransitiveTo interrogate; to question.
She pretended to […] pose him and sift him.
1622, Francis, Lord Verulam, Viscount St. Alban [i.e. Francis Bacon], The Historie of the Raigne of King Henry the Seventh, […], London: […] W[illiam] Stansby for Matthew Lownes, and William Barret, →OCLC - obsoletetransitiveTo 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 or puzzle him.
a. 1678 (date written), Isaac Barrow, “(please specify the chapter name or sermon number)”, in The Works of Dr. Isaac Barrow. […], volume (please specify |volume=I to VII), London: A[braham] J[ohn] Valpy, […], published 1830–1831, →OCLC1 more example
The Doctor […] had likewise a pair of little eyes that were always half shut up, and a mouth that was always half expanded into a grin, as if he had, that moment, posed a boy, and were waiting to convict him from his own lips.
1846 October 1 – 1848 April 1, Charles Dickens, Dombey and Son, London: Bradbury and Evans, […], published 1848, →OCLC
plural poses
- Position, posture, arrangement (especially of the human body).
Please adopt a more graceful pose for my camera.
1 more example
Then came a maid with hand-bag and shawls, and after her a tall young lady. She stood for a moment holding her skirt above the grimy steps, with something of the stately pose which Richter has given his Queen Louise on the stairway,[…].
1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter V, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC
pose3
present singular third person poses · participle present posing · participle past posed · past posed · alternative poze
- obsoleteTo ask (someone) questions; to interrogate.
'Tis my solitary recreation to pose my apprehension with those involved Ænigmas and riddles of the Trinity, with Incarnation and Resurrection.
1642, Tho[mas] Browne, “The First Part”, in Religio Medici. […], 4th edition, London: […] E. Cotes for Andrew Crook […], published 1656, →OCLC, section 9, page 161 more example
And hit fortuned that after .iii. dayes, they founde hym in the temple sittinge in the middes of the doctours, both hearynge them, and posinge them.
1526, [William Tyndale, transl.], The Newe Testamẽt […] (Tyndale Bible), [Worms, Germany: Peter Schöffer], →OCLC, Luke ij - archaicto puzzle, non-plus, or embarrass with difficult questions.
- archaicTo perplex or confuse (someone).
Synonyms & antonyms
nouna deliberate pretense or exaggerated display
verbpretend to be someone you are not; sometimes with fraudulent intentions
verbbe a mystery or bewildering to
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
pose · noun
- Proto-Indo-European*bew-“to blow, swell”
- Proto-Germanic*pusōną
- Proto-Germanic*pusą“sneeze, snort”
- Proto-West Germanic*pos
- Old Englishpos
- Old Englishġeposu pl“cold in the head; catarrh”
- Middle Englishpose
- Englishpose
From Middle English pose, from Old English ġeposu pl (“cold in the head; catarrh”, literally “(the) sneezes; (the) snorts”), from Old English pos, ġepos (“sneeze, snort”), from Proto-West Germanic *pos, from Proto-Germanic *pusą (“sneeze, snort”), from Proto-Germanic *pusōną, *pusjaną (“to snort, blow”), from *pus- (“to blow, breathe hard”), from Proto-Indo-European *bew- (“to blow, swell”). Compare Low German pusten (“to blow, puff”), German dialectal pfausen (“to sneeze, snort”), Norwegian dialectal pysa (“to blow”).
More words from Middle English, Old English, Proto-West Germanic
Full word history & related roots →pose · verb, noun
- Latinpōnere
- Ancient Greekπαῦσις
- Latinpausa“pause”
- Vulgar Latinpausāre“to blin, cease, pause”
- Old Frenchposer“to put, place, stell, settle, lodge”
- Middle Englishposen
- Englishpose
From Middle English posen, from Old French poser (“to put, place, stell, settle, lodge”), from Vulgar Latin pausāre (“to blin, cease, pause”), from Latin pausa (“pause”), from Ancient Greek παῦσις (paûsis); influenced by Latin pōnere. Doublet of pause.
More words from Middle English, Old French, Vulgar Latin
Full word history & related roots →pose · verb
- Middle Englishaposen
- Middle Englishposen
- Englishpose
From Middle English posen, a combination of aphetic forms of Middle English aposen and opposen. More at appose, oppose.
More words from Middle English
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Arabic جِلْسَة, جَلْسَة
- جِلْسَة (jilsa)position, arrangement (especially of the human body)
- جَلْسَة (jalsa)position, arrangement (especially of the human body)
- وَضْع (waḍʕ)position, arrangement (especially of the human body)
- تَكَلُّف (takalluf)affectation — see also affectation
Bulgarian поставям, нагласявам
- поставям (postavjam)1. (transitive) To place in an attitude or fixed position, for the sake of effect.
- нагласявам (naglasjavam)1. (transitive) To place in an attitude or fixed position, for the sake of effect.
- задавам (zadavam)2. (transitive) To ask; to set (a test, quiz, riddle, etc.).
- позирам (poziram)5. (intransitive) To assume or maintain a pose; to strike an attitude.
- по́за (póza)position, arrangement (especially of the human body)
Catalan plantetjar, formular
- plantetjar2. (transitive) To ask; to set (a test, quiz, riddle, etc.).
- formular2. (transitive) To ask; to set (a test, quiz, riddle, etc.).
Chinese Mandarin 放, 置
- 放 (fàng)1. (transitive) To place in an attitude or fixed position, for the sake of effect.
- 置 (zhì)1. (transitive) To place in an attitude or fixed position, for the sake of effect.
- 放置 (fàngzhì)1. (transitive) To place in an attitude or fixed position, for the sake of effect.
- 姿勢 /姿势 (zīshì)position, arrangement (especially of the human body)
- 姿態 /姿态 (zītài)position, arrangement (especially of the human body)
Czech póza
- pózaposition, arrangement (especially of the human body)
Dutch poseren
- poseren5. (intransitive) To assume or maintain a pose; to strike an attitude.
Esperanto pozi, pozo
- pozi5. (intransitive) To assume or maintain a pose; to strike an attitude.
- pozoposition, arrangement (especially of the human body)
Finnish asettaa, asetella
- asettaa1. (transitive) To place in an attitude or fixed position, for the sake of effect.
- asetella1. (transitive) To place in an attitude or fixed position, for the sake of effect.
- kysyä2. (transitive) To ask; to set (a test, quiz, riddle, etc.).
- esittää kysymys2. (transitive) To ask; to set (a test, quiz, riddle, etc.).
- muodostaa3. (transitive) To constitute (a danger, a threat, a risk, etc.).
- poseerata5. (intransitive) To assume or maintain a pose; to strike an attitude.
- asentoposition, arrangement (especially of the human body)
French mettre, poser
- mettre1. (transitive) To place in an attitude or fixed position, for the sake of effect.
- poser1. (transitive) To place in an attitude or fixed position, for the sake of effect.
- disposer1. (transitive) To place in an attitude or fixed position, for the sake of effect.
- poser2. (transitive) To ask; to set (a test, quiz, riddle, etc.).
- représenter3. (transitive) To constitute (a danger, a threat, a risk, etc.).
- constituer3. (transitive) To constitute (a danger, a threat, a risk, etc.).
- poser5. (intransitive) To assume or maintain a pose; to strike an attitude.
- poseposition, arrangement (especially of the human body)
German stellen, legen
- stellen1. (transitive) To place in an attitude or fixed position, for the sake of effect.
- legen1. (transitive) To place in an attitude or fixed position, for the sake of effect.
- stellen2. (transitive) To ask; to set (a test, quiz, riddle, etc.).
- posieren5. (intransitive) To assume or maintain a pose; to strike an attitude.
- Poseposition, arrangement (especially of the human body)
Hebrew פּוֹזָה
- פּוֹזָה (póza)affectation — see also affectation
Hungarian póz
- pózposition, arrangement (especially of the human body)
Indonesian asana, pose
- asanaposition, arrangement (especially of the human body)
- poseposition, arrangement (especially of the human body)
Irish deasaigh, deasaigh thú féin
- deasaigh1. (transitive) To place in an attitude or fixed position, for the sake of effect.
- deasaigh thú féin5. (intransitive) To assume or maintain a pose; to strike an attitude.
Italian posare, deporre
- posare1. (transitive) To place in an attitude or fixed position, for the sake of effect.
- deporre1. (transitive) To place in an attitude or fixed position, for the sake of effect.
- adagiare1. (transitive) To place in an attitude or fixed position, for the sake of effect.
- mettere giù1. (transitive) To place in an attitude or fixed position, for the sake of effect.
- collocare1. (transitive) To place in an attitude or fixed position, for the sake of effect.
- poggiare1. (transitive) To place in an attitude or fixed position, for the sake of effect.
- porre2. (transitive) To ask; to set (a test, quiz, riddle, etc.).
- rappresentare3. (transitive) To constitute (a danger, a threat, a risk, etc.).
- costituire3. (transitive) To constitute (a danger, a threat, a risk, etc.).
- posare5. (intransitive) To assume or maintain a pose; to strike an attitude.
- mettersi in posa5. (intransitive) To assume or maintain a pose; to strike an attitude.
- atteggiarsi5. (intransitive) To assume or maintain a pose; to strike an attitude.
- posaposition, arrangement (especially of the human body)
Japanese 置く, ポーズをつくる
- 置く (oku)1. (transitive) To place in an attitude or fixed position, for the sake of effect.
- ポーズをつくる (pōzu o tsukuru)5. (intransitive) To assume or maintain a pose; to strike an attitude.
- ポーズ (pōzu)position, arrangement (especially of the human body)
Korean 포즈
- 포즈 (pojeu)position, arrangement (especially of the human body)
Latvian poza
- pozaposition, arrangement (especially of the human body)
Lithuanian poza
- pozaposition, arrangement (especially of the human body)
Norwegian stille, anbringe
- stille1. (transitive) To place in an attitude or fixed position, for the sake of effect.
- anbringe1. (transitive) To place in an attitude or fixed position, for the sake of effect.
- stille2. (transitive) To ask; to set (a test, quiz, riddle, etc.).
- representere3. (transitive) To constitute (a danger, a threat, a risk, etc.).
- posere5. (intransitive) To assume or maintain a pose; to strike an attitude.
Persian پز, پز
- پز (poz)position, arrangement (especially of the human body)
- پز (poz)affectation — see also affectation
Polish pozować, poza
- pozować5. (intransitive) To assume or maintain a pose; to strike an attitude.
- pozaposition, arrangement (especially of the human body)
Portuguese pousar, colocar
- pousar1. (transitive) To place in an attitude or fixed position, for the sake of effect.
- colocar1. (transitive) To place in an attitude or fixed position, for the sake of effect.
- perguntar2. (transitive) To ask; to set (a test, quiz, riddle, etc.).
- posar5. (intransitive) To assume or maintain a pose; to strike an attitude.
- poseposition, arrangement (especially of the human body)
- poseaffectation — see also affectation
Romanian poză
- pozăposition, arrangement (especially of the human body)
Russian располага́ть, расположи́ть
- располага́ть (raspolagátʹ)1. (transitive) To place in an attitude or fixed position, for the sake of effect.
- расположи́ть (raspoložítʹ)1. (transitive) To place in an attitude or fixed position, for the sake of effect.
- класть (klastʹ)1. (transitive) To place in an attitude or fixed position, for the sake of effect.
- положи́ть (položítʹ)1. (transitive) To place in an attitude or fixed position, for the sake of effect.
- ста́вить (stávitʹ)1. (transitive) To place in an attitude or fixed position, for the sake of effect.
- поста́вить (postávitʹ)1. (transitive) To place in an attitude or fixed position, for the sake of effect.
- озада́чивать (ozadáčivatʹ)2. (transitive) To ask; to set (a test, quiz, riddle, etc.).
- озада́чить (ozadáčitʹ)2. (transitive) To ask; to set (a test, quiz, riddle, etc.).
- задава́ть (zadavátʹ)2. (transitive) To ask; to set (a test, quiz, riddle, etc.).
- зада́ть (zadátʹ)2. (transitive) To ask; to set (a test, quiz, riddle, etc.).
- представля́ть (predstavljátʹ)3. (transitive) To constitute (a danger, a threat, a risk, etc.).
- предста́вить (predstávitʹ)3. (transitive) To constitute (a danger, a threat, a risk, etc.).
- по́за (póza)position, arrangement (especially of the human body)
- по́за (póza)affectation — see also affectation
Slovak póza
- pózaposition, arrangement (especially of the human body)
Spanish posar, plantear
- posar1. (transitive) To place in an attitude or fixed position, for the sake of effect.
- plantear2. (transitive) To ask; to set (a test, quiz, riddle, etc.).
- posar5. (intransitive) To assume or maintain a pose; to strike an attitude.
- poseposition, arrangement (especially of the human body)
Swedish posera, pose
- posera5. (intransitive) To assume or maintain a pose; to strike an attitude.
- poseposition, arrangement (especially of the human body)
Turkish poz vermek
- poz vermek5. (intransitive) To assume or maintain a pose; to strike an attitude.
Ukrainian по́за
- по́за (póza)position, arrangement (especially of the human body)
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with pose
Anagrams
Cite this entry
pose. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pose
“pose.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pose. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “pose,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pose.
Source: pose on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.