Webster's English Dictionary

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pose

1. pose \'po-z\ vb [ME posen, fr. MF poser, fr. (assumed) VL pausare, fr. 
   LL, to] stop, rest, pause, fr. L pausa pause 1a: to put or set in place  
   1b: to place (as a model) in a studied attitude  2: to put or set forth : 
   PROPOUND  1: to assume a posture or attitude usu. for artistic purposes  2: 
   to affect an attitude or character : POSTURE 
2. pose n 1: a sustained posture; esp : one assumed for artistic effect  2: 
   a mental posture; esp : AFFECTATION M mean an adopted way of speaking or 
   behaving. POSE implies an attitude deliberately assumed in order to impress 
   others; AIR may suggest natural acquirement through environment or way of 
   life, but AIRS always implies artificiality and pretentiousness; 
   AFFECTATION applies to a trick of speech or behavior that strikes the 
   observer as insincere; MANNERISM applies to an acquired eccentricity that 
   has become a habit SYN syn POSE, AIR, AIRS, AFFECTATION, MANNERISM
3. pose vt [short for earlier appose, fr. ME apposen, alter. of opposen]to 
   oppose 1: obs : QUESTION  2: PUZZLE, BAFFLE