I. pəˈzishən, pōˈ- noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle French, from Latin position-, positio, from positus (past participle of ponere to put, place, from — assumed — Old Latin posinere, from po- away + sinere to lay, let, leave) + -ion-, -io -ion; akin to Latin post after — more at post- , site
1. : an act of placing or arranging: as
a. : an act of laying down or stating a proposition or thesis : affirmation
b. : an arranging in order (as of military forces or chess pieces)
2.
a. : a proposition or thesis laid down : assertion , statement
the proper response to the position that atomic secrets merit unique protection is not a denial but a series of questions — J.G.Palfrey
b. : the ground or point of view adopted with reference to a particular subject : mental attitude : way of thinking about or viewing something
took a radical position on the zoning issue
took the position that the law must be enforced at all costs
c. : a market commitment (as in securities or commodities)
had heavy position in steels
also : the inventory of a market trader (as a security dealer)
3. : the point or area in space actually occupied by a physical object or into which it is placed: as
a. : proper or natural location in relation to other items
the position of the heart
put the lever in operating position
: stand
took their position at the end of the line
b. : an area or locality occupied by combat units especially in a defensive operation : a location (as of a battery) from which weapons are fired
c. : geographical location
radioed the control tower for his position
4. : arrangement or ordering of parts or aspects in relation to one another or to an external source of orientation: as
a.
(1) : bodily posture
crouched in a cramped position
proper position is of the utmost importance in showing livestock
(2) : any of the postures of the feet and arms on which all steps and movements of classical ballet are based
the five positions of the feet
(3) : an arrangement of the parts of the body considered particularly desirable for some medical or surgical procedure
knee-chest position
obstetrical position
b. : any of the arrangements of surfaces with the vertical in which the movement of a timepiece is adjusted to run
c.
(1) : the disposition of the notes or tones of a chord with reference to the lowest voice part, the uppermost voice part, or their nearness to each other in pitch
open or close position
(2) : one of the points on the fingerboard of a stringed instrument where the strings are stopped by the fingers to produce various pitches
(3) : one of the seven definite degrees of extension of the trombone slide
5. : relative place, situation, or standing
man's position in nature
the economic position of the city
as
a. : social or official rank or status
a humble man satisfied with his position
especially : elevated standing
a man of position
b.
(1) : office , employment , vocation
took a position in the department of state
— often used to distinguish a superior or intellectual occupation from a job of labor
(2) : the group of tasks and responsibilities making up the duties of an employee
the position can best be filled by a college-trained man
this position involves both bookkeeping and typing
c. : a spot, situation, or condition that conveys some advantage (as against another)
maneuvering for position
6. : the condition in Greek or Latin prosody of having a short vowel followed by two consonants or a double consonant (as x or z ) making its syllable long
in vŏlvŭnt the syllables are long by position
II. verb
( positioned ; positioned ; positioning -sh(ə)niŋ ; positions )
transitive verb
: to put in a or the proper position : place , situate
positioned themselves to act at once
intransitive verb
: to assume or maintain a position