Etymology 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”).
Now […] have we many chimnies, and yet our tenderlings complain of rheums, catarrhs, and poses.1586, William Harrison, Description of England:
Megg yesterday was troubled with a pose, Which, this night hardned, sodders up her nose.1825, Robert Herrick, The poetical works of Robert Herrick:
2 more examples
The Ague, Cough, the Pyony, the Pose. Aches within, and accidents without, [...]1903, Thomas Heywood, Lucian (of Samosata.), Desiderius Erasmus, Pleasant Dialogues and Dramma's:
And 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:
pose
verb
Etymology 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.
To place in an attitude or fixed position, for the sake of effect.
To pose a model for a picture.
2
To ask; to set (a test, quiz, riddle, etc.).
3
To 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 7:
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 BBC:
1 more example
The 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:
4
To falsely impersonate (another person or occupation) primarily for the purpose of accomplishing something or reaching a goal.
In the phrase "to pose as"
5
To assume or maintain a pose; to strike an attitude.
He […] posed before her as a hero.1840, W[illiam] M[akepeace] Thackeray, “A Shabby Genteel Story”, in Miscellanies: Prose and Verse, volume IV, London: Bradbury and Evans, […], published 1857, →OCLC:
6
To 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:
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:
8
Obsolete To 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, →OCLC:
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:
Etymology 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.
1
Position, posture, arrangement (especially of the human body).
Please adopt a more graceful pose for my camera.
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:
Etymology From Middle English posen, a combination of aphetic forms of Middle English aposen and opposen. More at appose, oppose.
1
Obsolete To ask (someone) questions; to interrogate.
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:
'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 16:
2
Archaic to puzzle, non-plus, or embarrass with difficult questions.