Hypertext Webster Gateway: "posture"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Posture \Pos"ture\ (?; 135), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Postured}; p.
pr. & vb. n. {Posturing}.]
To place in a particular position or attitude; to dispose the
parts of, with reference to a particular purpose; as, to
posture one's self; to posture a model. --Howell.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Posture \Pos"ture\, v. i.
1. To assume a particular posture or attitude; to contort the
body into artificial attitudes, as an acrobat or
contortionist; also, to pose.
2. Fig.: To assume a character; as, to posture as a saint.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Posture \Pos"ture\ (?; 135), n. [F., fr. L. positura, fr.
ponere, positum, to place. See {Position}.]
1. The position of the body; the situation or disposition of
the several parts of the body with respect to each other,
or for a particular purpose; especially (Fine Arts), the
position of a figure with regard to the several principal
members by which action is expressed; attitude.
Atalanta, the posture of whose limbs was so lively
expressed . . . one would have sworn the very
picture had run. --Sir P.
Sidney.
In most strange postures We have seen him set
himself. --Shak.
The posture of a poetic figure is a description of
his heroes in the performance of such or such an
action. --Dryden.
2. Place; position; situation. [Obs.] --Milton.
His [man's] noblest posture and station in this
world. --Sir M. Hale.
3. State or condition, whether of external circumstances, or
of internal feeling and will; disposition; mood; as, a
posture of defense; the posture of affairs.
The several postures of his devout soul.
--Atterbury.
Syn: Attitude; position. See {Attitude}.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
posture
n 1: position or arrangement of the body and its limbs; "he
assumed an attitude of surrender" [syn: {position}, {attitude}]
2: characteristic way of bearing one's body: "stood with good
posture" [syn: {carriage}, {bearing}]
3: a rationalized mental attitude [syn: {position}, {stance}]
4: capability in terms of personnel and materiel that affect
the capacity to fight a war; "we faced an army of great
strength"; "politicians have neglected our military
posture" [syn: {military capability}, {military strength},
{strength}, {military posture}]
v : as for artistic purposes; "We don't know the woman who posed
for Leonardo so often" [syn: {model}, {pose}, {sit}]
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