Definition

1. Noun:

   • The position or bearing of the body: The way in which a person holds their body, especially when standing or sitting.
   • A particular way of dealing with or considering something; an attitude or approach: A mental or strategic position adopted in relation to a situation.
   • A situation or condition, especially in political or military contexts: The state or condition of affairs.

2. Verb:

   • To adopt a particular physical pose, especially for effect: To position the body in a specific way, often deliberately.
   • To behave in an artificial or affected way to impress others: To adopt a particular attitude or role that is not genuine.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:

  • Good posture is important for back health.
  • The company adopted a defensive posture during the negotiations.
  • The military posture of the nation was one of readiness.

• Verb:

  • The model postured for the photographer.
  • He tends to posture in meetings to appear more authoritative.

Advanced Usage

• "Strike a posture": To deliberately adopt a particular physical stance or attitude.

  • He struck a heroic posture for the statue.

• "A posture of defiance/strength/innocence": A particular adopted attitude.

  • She maintained a posture of calm despite the chaos.

Variants and Related Words

• Posturing (noun/gerund): Behavior that is intended to impress or mislead others.

  • His speech was full of political posturing.

• Postural (adjective): Relating to posture.

  • She has a postural problem that causes back pain.

Synonyms

• Noun (for body position): Stance, bearing, carriage.
• Noun (for attitude): Attitude, position, stance, approach.
• Verb (to pose): Pose, position, sit, stand.
• Verb (to behave affectedly): Pose, show off, put on airs.

Related Phrasal Verbs/Constructions

(Note: "Posture" is not commonly used in phrasal verb constructions. The verb is typically used transitively or intransitively.) - "Posture as": To pretend to be or present oneself as something. - He postured as an expert on the subject.

Related Idioms

• "Assume a posture": To take on a particular attitude or position.
  • The government assumed a conciliatory posture after the protests.

Noun

1. 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
2. a rationalized mental attitude
3. characteristic way of bearing one's body
   • stood with good posture
4. the arrangement of the body and its limbs
   • he assumed an attitude of surrender

Verb

1. assume a posture as for artistic purposes
   • We don't know the woman who posed for Leonardo so often
2. behave affectedly or unnaturally in order to impress others
   • Don't pay any attention to him--he is always posing to impress his peers!
   • She postured and made a total fool of herself