positions

1. 1
   noun

   Plural of position.

   The chess coach explained how the two players had reached very different positions on the board.

   The candidates staked out opposing positions on the new tax plan.

   Note

   The regular plural carries every meaning the singular has, from the physical to the abstract. Pieces on a board occupy positions, and so do candidates who hold rival opinions, people of different rank, and the jobs an employer needs to fill. Context does the sorting: "took up positions" usually means places or stances, while "filled positions" points to employment.

2. 2
   verb

   Third-person singular simple present of position.

   The director positions the camera so the light falls across the actor's face.

   Her latest ad campaign positions the brand as a budget-friendly alternative.

   Note

   The -s appears only with a singular subject in the present tense: she positions, the director positions, but they position and he will position. The core meaning is putting something into place. The same spelling also serves as the plural noun, so "team positions" can start a clause or name a set of roles, and the next word usually settles which.

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