posse
/'pɔsi/
Definition
- Noun:
- A temporary police force: A group of people, typically civilians, who are mobilized by a sheriff or other law enforcement officer to assist in maintaining order, pursuing a criminal, or performing a specific task.
- A group of people with a common purpose: By extension, any group of people gathered together for a specific, often informal, purpose or activity.
Usage
- The primary use of "posse" is in a law enforcement context, referring to a group assembled to aid an officer. In modern informal usage, it often refers to one's close group of friends or associates.
- It is typically used as a countable noun (e.g., , ).
Examples
- Law Enforcement Context:
- The sheriff formed a posse to track down the escaped convicts.
- In the Old West, a posse was often formed from local volunteers.
- Informal/Modern Context:
- She arrived at the party with her whole posse.
- He's always surrounded by his posse of close friends.
Advanced Usage
- "in posse": A legal or philosophical term from Latin, meaning "in potential" or "possibly," as opposed to "in esse" (in actuality). This is a specialized usage distinct from the common noun.
- The rights exist in posse, waiting to be claimed.
Variants and Related Words
- Posse comitatus (n): A Latin term meaning "the force of the county," referring to the common-law authority of a sheriff to summon civilians for assistance. This is the historical and legal origin of the modern word "posse."
- The sheriff invoked the power of posse comitatus.
Synonyms
- Band: A group of people with a common purpose.
- Crew: A group of people who work together or associate with one another.
- Gang: A group of friends or a group of people involved in criminal activity (note: "gang" can have negative connotations).
- Squad: A small group of people organized for a specific task.
Related Phrases
- To form/raise a posse: To assemble a group for assistance, especially in law enforcement.
- The marshal needed to raise a posse quickly.
- Ride with a posse: To participate as a member of such a group.
- He volunteered to ride with the posse.
Idioms
- Posse of friends: An informal idiom describing one's close circle of friends.
- Wherever she goes, her posse of friends is sure to follow.
Noun
-
a temporary police force
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