pose

Etymology 1

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 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”).

noun

1. (archaic) Common cold, head cold; catarrh.
   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
   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

Etymology 2

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.

verb

1. (transitive) To place in an attitude or fixed position, for the sake of effect.
   To pose a model for a picture.
2. (transitive) To ask; to set (a test, quiz, riddle, etc.).
3. (transitive) 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. September 2, 2011, Phil McNulty, “Bulgaria 0-3 England”, in BBC
   The threat the most radical of them pose is evidently far greater at home than abroad. 27 November 2014, Ian Black, “Courts kept busy as Jordan works to crush support for Isis”, in The Guardian
4. (transitive, in the phrase "to pose as") To falsely impersonate (another person or occupation) primarily for the purpose of accomplishing something or reaching a goal.
5. (intransitive) To assume or maintain a pose; to strike an attitude.
6. (intransitive) 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, page 73
7. (obsolete, transitive) To interrogate; to question.
8. (obsolete, transitive) To question with a view to puzzling; to embarrass by questioning or scrutiny; to bring to a stand.

noun

1. Position, posture, arrangement (especially of the human body).
   Please adopt a more graceful pose for my camera.
2. Affectation.

Etymology 3

From Middle English posen, a combination of aphetic forms of Middle English aposen and opposen. More at appose, oppose.

verb

1. (obsolete) To ask (someone) questions; to interrogate.
2. (now rare) to puzzle, non-plus, or embarrass with difficult questions.
3. (now rare) To perplex or confuse (someone).