pos´tur|er

pos|ture «POS chuhr», noun, verb, -tured, -tur|ing.

–n.

1. the position of the body; way of holding the body: »

Good posture is important to health.

SYNONYM(S): carriage, bearing, stance.

2. Figurative. a condition; situation; state: »

In the present posture of public affairs it is difficult to predict what will happen.

SYNONYM(S): phase.

3. Figurative. a mental or spiritual attitude: »

A firm policy is likely to be lacking until the President determines what should be the total American posture toward Russia (Atlantic).

SYNONYM(S): outlook.

4. a pose, as of an artist's model; the attitude of a figure in a painting, etc.

5. Figurative. an affected or unnatural attitude; contortion of the body: »

He would…dance about him, and make a thousand antic postures and gestures (Daniel Defoe).

–v.i.

1. to take a certain posture: »

The dancer postured before the mirror, bending and twisting her body.

2. Figurative. to pose for effect.

–v.t.

to put in a certain posture: »

Alice had been playing with the mirror's reflections—posturing her arms…clasping her hands behind her neck (Booth Tarkington).

╂[< French posture < Italian postura < Latin positūra < pōnere to place]

–pos´tur|er, noun.