pose

SayPOHZ/poʊz/UK/pəʊz/

14 meanings of pose

1
nouncountable
A way of holding your body, often for a photo or a drawing.
Like freezing in place when someone takes your picture.
She held the pose while the artist sketched her.
The dancer moved into a graceful pose at the end of the piece.
Similarposture, stance, position, attitude
Note
2
verbintransitive
To hold your body in a certain way, often so someone can take a picture.
Like standing very still and smiling so the photo turns out right.
They posed together for the family photo.
She likes to pose in front of the mirror.
Similarsit, model
Note
3
verbtransitive
To put someone in a certain position so they look good in a picture.
Like arranging dolls just how you want before snapping a photo.
The photographer posed the children near the window.
She wants to pose the models against a plain background.
Similararrange, position, place
Note
4
verbtransitive
To be something that could cause harm, danger, or trouble.
Loose wires can pose a danger to small children.
The flood posed a serious risk to the town.
Similarpresent, constitute, represent, create, cause
5
verbtransitive
To ask a question or give a problem for someone to think about or solve.
The teacher posed a tricky question to the class.
Let me pose a simple riddle for you to solve.
Similarraise, ask, put, present, propose
Note
6
verbtransitive
To pretend to be someone else in order to trick people or get something.
Like pretending to be a teacher when you are not one at all.
He posed as a police officer to get into the building.
She tried to pose as a nurse during the emergency.
Similarmasquerade, impersonate
7
verbintransitive
To act in a fake way to make people notice or admire you.
He's always posing for attention at parties.
They pose to impress their classmates.
Similarposture, grandstand, preen, strut, swagger
8
nouncountable
A fake way of acting that someone puts on to impress other people.
Like wearing a mask so people see someone braver than you really are.
His confidence was just a pose to hide his nerves.
Her cool attitude is nothing but a pose.
Similaract, front, facade, pretense, affectation

Practice

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Origins

Meaning 14

From an Old English word for a sneeze or snort, which came from older Germanic roots meaning to blow or swell.

Meanings 1–10

From Old French poser, meaning to put or place, which came from Latin words for a pause.

Meanings 11–13

From Middle English posen, made from shortened forms of the words aposen and opposen.