Definition of posse in English:

posse

noun ˈpɒsiˈpɑsi

1US historical A body of men summoned by a sheriff to enforce the law.
Example sentencesExamples
- He had killed two sheriffs and fought off many posses.
- The station looked deserted, but it wouldn't be for long once the news reached Alpha Station, and where in the galaxies were the sheriff and his posse?
- Sheriffs' posses were sent from the mainland with arrest warrants, but Strang, with the help of his lieutenants, evaded capture by skirting the island's shores in a ramshackle boat.
- In colonial America, policing relied on community consensus and citizens' service as constables and in sheriffs' posses.
- His wound was inflicted by a sheriff's posse pursuing him for an assault upon a farmer's wife.
- Well, before he became the name of a Montreal suburb, in 1660, Dollard rounded up a posse of 16 volunteers to ambush an Iroquois attack on what became Montreal.
Synonyms
team, company, unit, party, working party, gang, shift, line-up, squad, force, corps
1. 1.1British The body of men above the age of fifteen in a county (excluding peers, the clergy, or the infirm), whom the sheriff could summon to repress a riot or for other purposes.
  Example sentencesExamples
  Prior to the emergence of the police, ordinary citizens would bring what arms they had in response to a ‘hue and cry’ or when serving on a posse comitatus.
  The Senate added language to account for constitutional authority to use the Army as a posse comitatus, or otherwise, to execute the laws.
  Synonyms
  group, crowd, body, party, band, collection, assembly, assemblage, cluster, flock, herd, horde, troupe, swarm, stream, mob, throng, congregation, gathering, meeting, convention
2informal A group of people who have a common characteristic or occupation.
tea was handed round by a posse of mothers
Example sentencesExamples
- He sat in silence through the shareholders’ meeting, and was escorted to and from it by a posse of bodyguards.
- The instrument, his long-term comedy partner, was still around for support but he also introduced a posse of new characters and comedy situations.
- Last night was John's work do - a posse of computer genius guys and girls, packed around a long table at their local.
- Seemingly all the pre-match focus was on the striker, as a posse of photographers lurking in the press room testified.
- Everywhere he stepped either side of a gentle curtain raiser, a posse of well-wishers shadowed him, grabbing an autograph here, a picture there and a precious chat wherever possible.
- To this end he created a posse of brilliantly realised characters, each complete with their own distinctive voices, personalities and catchphrases.
- At 1.30 am a posse of musicians with their sound system arrived, and parked themselves in the six-foot square space empty next to me.
- The fugitive, who broke out from a supposedly secure area, tried to ram patrol cars, managed to out-run Gardaí and a posse of local people, was eventually shot.
- The island is neat and well tended by a posse of gardeners - where Young Island is so profuse, Mustique is sparser and drier.
- That pretty much launched the TV careers of a posse of legal analysts.
- Thus they reluctantly join forces with a posse of vampires, who refer to themselves collectively as the Blood Gang, for some vampire hunting in the dark streets and sewers of Prague.
- He's surrounded by a posse of eager reporters who are trying to interview him with the help of an interpreter while the sound of Puccini blasts out from every corner of the room.
- Early on a December morning in 1998, a posse of policemen knocked on the door of his country cottage, issued a warrant for his arrest, and spent eight hours searching his property.
- Rumours swirled around about a posse of policemen, acting on complaints from residents of the surrounding high-rise buildings, who had picked him up that morning.
- When she returned from the championships, she was met at the airport by a posse of reporters asking her about drugs and steroids.
- Look, if you've got a posse of restless toddlers at home and just want to shut 'em up for 90 minutes, then by all means, bring them to see this movie.
- London was the height of hip, with a posse of hot young designers blazing a path through the jaded fashion pack and spawning the ‘Cool Britannia’ era.
- Amid a frenzy of handshakes, nostalgic ‘what could have been’ looks and a posse of camera crews, the Conservative leader yesterday returned to a hero's welcome in Blackpool.
- He has charisma, a fabulous new line of hipster clothing, a reality-TV show in development, and a posse of hot young actors swooning over his righteous aura.
- The Sabbath was reserved for Sunday tea - usually in the presence of a posse of relatives, called in by postcard from the tram-rocking outer suburbs.
Synonyms
set, group, band, circle, company, fraternity, clique, coterie
1. 2.1 A group of young people who socialize together, especially to go to clubs or raves.
  the followers of the so-called Techno phenomenon, the vibed-up whistle posse
  Example sentencesExamples
  On our final night, after taking everyone out to dinner, he invited the whole posse to a big fashion-style party downtown.
  You were always leading that ridiculous posse of yours in high school.
  Rather than sulking and feeling totally threatened by your pal's posse, share her excitement about her newfound friendships.
  My children, looking gruesome, go off with their posse and gather armfuls of treats.
  On my right sat a posse of possible ‘Millies’, bored teenagers who would rather be otherwise engaged.
  On the front was a sepia-toned photo of Jennings, his band, and a battered posse of cronies gathered around a bar.
  They where all kisses and hugs until the rest of the posse that had gathered just outside the door came in.
  A couple of girls in Jessica's posse strolled by and scowled at me.
  My hard work is paying off as each Thursday my posse of party people gets bigger and bigger.
  ‘You know this is my room’ I pushed the door open to reveal all of Jake's posse in there.
  There is only one place to skate where I live and none of my posse drives yet.
  No-neck goons in black turtlenecks and lumpy suit jackets are fine if you want to hit a dance club with a posse, but they are not effective for executives.
  Your faithful friends might feel replaced if you gush about your awesome new posse.
  People are going to be particularly drawn to you, so you're bound to make a whole new posse of pals.
  Across the room a posse of young men, fresh from a football match, amused themselves by downing pints of lager in rapid succession and groping any woman who passed by.
  Synonyms
  group, gang, troop, troupe, party, company, band, body, crowd, pack, army, herd, flock, bevy, drove, horde, galaxy, assemblage, gathering

Origin

Mid 17th century: from medieval Latin, literally 'power', from Latin posse 'be able'.

The word posse calls to mind the image, familiar from Westerns, of a body of men being recruited by a sheriff and saddling up to pursue outlaws or other wrongdoers. The key element in its meaning is not the pursuing, though, but the fact that the sheriff has empowered this group of people to enforce the law. In medieval Latin posse meant ‘power’, and came from Latin posse ‘to be able’. Posse pre-dated the widespread colonization of the USA, and was first used in Britain during the mid 17th century to mean ‘an assembled force or band’ and specifically ‘the population of local able-bodied men summoned by a sheriff to stop a riot or pursue criminals’. See also power. Possible (Late Middle English) comes from the same root, while Latin potentia ‘power’ formed from posse, gives us words such as potent, potentate, and potential (all LME).

Rhymes

bossy, Flossie, flossy, glossy, mossy

Definition of posse in US English:

posse

nounˈpäsēˈpɑsi

US historical

1A body of men, typically armed, summoned by a sheriff to enforce the law.
Example sentencesExamples
- He had killed two sheriffs and fought off many posses.
- His wound was inflicted by a sheriff's posse pursuing him for an assault upon a farmer's wife.
- The station looked deserted, but it wouldn't be for long once the news reached Alpha Station, and where in the galaxies were the sheriff and his posse?
- Sheriffs' posses were sent from the mainland with arrest warrants, but Strang, with the help of his lieutenants, evaded capture by skirting the island's shores in a ramshackle boat.
- In colonial America, policing relied on community consensus and citizens' service as constables and in sheriffs' posses.
- Well, before he became the name of a Montreal suburb, in 1660, Dollard rounded up a posse of 16 volunteers to ambush an Iroquois attack on what became Montreal.
Synonyms
team, company, unit, party, working party, gang, shift, line-up, squad, force, corps
1. 1.1British The body of men in a county whom the sheriff could summon to enforce the law.
  Example sentencesExamples
  The Senate added language to account for constitutional authority to use the Army as a posse comitatus, or otherwise, to execute the laws.
  Prior to the emergence of the police, ordinary citizens would bring what arms they had in response to a ‘hue and cry’ or when serving on a posse comitatus.
  Synonyms
  group, crowd, body, party, band, collection, assembly, assemblage, cluster, flock, herd, horde, troupe, swarm, stream, mob, throng, congregation, gathering, meeting, convention
2. 1.2informal A group of people who have a common characteristic, occupation, or purpose.
  he pompously led around a posse of medical students
  Example sentencesExamples
  The fugitive, who broke out from a supposedly secure area, tried to ram patrol cars, managed to out-run Gardaí and a posse of local people, was eventually shot.
  Early on a December morning in 1998, a posse of policemen knocked on the door of his country cottage, issued a warrant for his arrest, and spent eight hours searching his property.
  Everywhere he stepped either side of a gentle curtain raiser, a posse of well-wishers shadowed him, grabbing an autograph here, a picture there and a precious chat wherever possible.
  Look, if you've got a posse of restless toddlers at home and just want to shut 'em up for 90 minutes, then by all means, bring them to see this movie.
  He has charisma, a fabulous new line of hipster clothing, a reality-TV show in development, and a posse of hot young actors swooning over his righteous aura.
  He's surrounded by a posse of eager reporters who are trying to interview him with the help of an interpreter while the sound of Puccini blasts out from every corner of the room.
  Rumours swirled around about a posse of policemen, acting on complaints from residents of the surrounding high-rise buildings, who had picked him up that morning.
  Seemingly all the pre-match focus was on the striker, as a posse of photographers lurking in the press room testified.
  Last night was John's work do - a posse of computer genius guys and girls, packed around a long table at their local.
  Amid a frenzy of handshakes, nostalgic ‘what could have been’ looks and a posse of camera crews, the Conservative leader yesterday returned to a hero's welcome in Blackpool.
  At 1.30 am a posse of musicians with their sound system arrived, and parked themselves in the six-foot square space empty next to me.
  Thus they reluctantly join forces with a posse of vampires, who refer to themselves collectively as the Blood Gang, for some vampire hunting in the dark streets and sewers of Prague.
  That pretty much launched the TV careers of a posse of legal analysts.
  The instrument, his long-term comedy partner, was still around for support but he also introduced a posse of new characters and comedy situations.
  London was the height of hip, with a posse of hot young designers blazing a path through the jaded fashion pack and spawning the ‘Cool Britannia’ era.
  When she returned from the championships, she was met at the airport by a posse of reporters asking her about drugs and steroids.
  The island is neat and well tended by a posse of gardeners - where Young Island is so profuse, Mustique is sparser and drier.
  The Sabbath was reserved for Sunday tea - usually in the presence of a posse of relatives, called in by postcard from the tram-rocking outer suburbs.
  To this end he created a posse of brilliantly realised characters, each complete with their own distinctive voices, personalities and catchphrases.
  He sat in silence through the shareholders’ meeting, and was escorted to and from it by a posse of bodyguards.
  Synonyms
  set, group, band, circle, company, fraternity, clique, coterie
3. 1.3informal A group of people who socialize together, especially to go to clubs or raves.
  Example sentencesExamples
  A couple of girls in Jessica's posse strolled by and scowled at me.
  You were always leading that ridiculous posse of yours in high school.
  ‘You know this is my room’ I pushed the door open to reveal all of Jake's posse in there.
  On my right sat a posse of possible ‘Millies’, bored teenagers who would rather be otherwise engaged.
  Across the room a posse of young men, fresh from a football match, amused themselves by downing pints of lager in rapid succession and groping any woman who passed by.
  There is only one place to skate where I live and none of my posse drives yet.
  My children, looking gruesome, go off with their posse and gather armfuls of treats.
  People are going to be particularly drawn to you, so you're bound to make a whole new posse of pals.
  Rather than sulking and feeling totally threatened by your pal's posse, share her excitement about her newfound friendships.
  My hard work is paying off as each Thursday my posse of party people gets bigger and bigger.
  On our final night, after taking everyone out to dinner, he invited the whole posse to a big fashion-style party downtown.
  No-neck goons in black turtlenecks and lumpy suit jackets are fine if you want to hit a dance club with a posse, but they are not effective for executives.
  On the front was a sepia-toned photo of Jennings, his band, and a battered posse of cronies gathered around a bar.
  Your faithful friends might feel replaced if you gush about your awesome new posse.
  They where all kisses and hugs until the rest of the posse that had gathered just outside the door came in.
  Synonyms
  group, gang, troop, troupe, party, company, band, body, crowd, pack, army, herd, flock, bevy, drove, horde, galaxy, assemblage, gathering

Origin

Mid 17th century: from medieval Latin, literally ‘power’, from Latin posse ‘be able’.

单词	posse
释义	Definition of posse in English: posse noun ˈpɒsiˈpɑsi 1US historical A body of men summoned by a sheriff to enforce the law. Example sentencesExamples He had killed two sheriffs and fought off many posses. The station looked deserted, but it wouldn't be for long once the news reached Alpha Station, and where in the galaxies were the sheriff and his posse? Sheriffs' posses were sent from the mainland with arrest warrants, but Strang, with the help of his lieutenants, evaded capture by skirting the island's shores in a ramshackle boat. In colonial America, policing relied on community consensus and citizens' service as constables and in sheriffs' posses. His wound was inflicted by a sheriff's posse pursuing him for an assault upon a farmer's wife. Well, before he became the name of a Montreal suburb, in 1660, Dollard rounded up a posse of 16 volunteers to ambush an Iroquois attack on what became Montreal. Synonyms team, company, unit, party, working party, gang, shift, line-up, squad, force, corps 1.1British The body of men above the age of fifteen in a county (excluding peers, the clergy, or the infirm), whom the sheriff could summon to repress a riot or for other purposes. Example sentencesExamples Prior to the emergence of the police, ordinary citizens would bring what arms they had in response to a ‘hue and cry’ or when serving on a posse comitatus. The Senate added language to account for constitutional authority to use the Army as a posse comitatus, or otherwise, to execute the laws. Synonyms group, crowd, body, party, band, collection, assembly, assemblage, cluster, flock, herd, horde, troupe, swarm, stream, mob, throng, congregation, gathering, meeting, convention 2informal A group of people who have a common characteristic or occupation. tea was handed round by a posse of mothers Example sentencesExamples He sat in silence through the shareholders’ meeting, and was escorted to and from it by a posse of bodyguards. The instrument, his long-term comedy partner, was still around for support but he also introduced a posse of new characters and comedy situations. Last night was John's work do - a posse of computer genius guys and girls, packed around a long table at their local. Seemingly all the pre-match focus was on the striker, as a posse of photographers lurking in the press room testified. Everywhere he stepped either side of a gentle curtain raiser, a posse of well-wishers shadowed him, grabbing an autograph here, a picture there and a precious chat wherever possible. To this end he created a posse of brilliantly realised characters, each complete with their own distinctive voices, personalities and catchphrases. At 1.30 am a posse of musicians with their sound system arrived, and parked themselves in the six-foot square space empty next to me. The fugitive, who broke out from a supposedly secure area, tried to ram patrol cars, managed to out-run Gardaí and a posse of local people, was eventually shot. The island is neat and well tended by a posse of gardeners - where Young Island is so profuse, Mustique is sparser and drier. That pretty much launched the TV careers of a posse of legal analysts. Thus they reluctantly join forces with a posse of vampires, who refer to themselves collectively as the Blood Gang, for some vampire hunting in the dark streets and sewers of Prague. He's surrounded by a posse of eager reporters who are trying to interview him with the help of an interpreter while the sound of Puccini blasts out from every corner of the room. Early on a December morning in 1998, a posse of policemen knocked on the door of his country cottage, issued a warrant for his arrest, and spent eight hours searching his property. Rumours swirled around about a posse of policemen, acting on complaints from residents of the surrounding high-rise buildings, who had picked him up that morning. When she returned from the championships, she was met at the airport by a posse of reporters asking her about drugs and steroids. Look, if you've got a posse of restless toddlers at home and just want to shut 'em up for 90 minutes, then by all means, bring them to see this movie. London was the height of hip, with a posse of hot young designers blazing a path through the jaded fashion pack and spawning the ‘Cool Britannia’ era. Amid a frenzy of handshakes, nostalgic ‘what could have been’ looks and a posse of camera crews, the Conservative leader yesterday returned to a hero's welcome in Blackpool. He has charisma, a fabulous new line of hipster clothing, a reality-TV show in development, and a posse of hot young actors swooning over his righteous aura. The Sabbath was reserved for Sunday tea - usually in the presence of a posse of relatives, called in by postcard from the tram-rocking outer suburbs. Synonyms set, group, band, circle, company, fraternity, clique, coterie 2.1 A group of young people who socialize together, especially to go to clubs or raves. the followers of the so-called Techno phenomenon, the vibed-up whistle posse Example sentencesExamples On our final night, after taking everyone out to dinner, he invited the whole posse to a big fashion-style party downtown. You were always leading that ridiculous posse of yours in high school. Rather than sulking and feeling totally threatened by your pal's posse, share her excitement about her newfound friendships. My children, looking gruesome, go off with their posse and gather armfuls of treats. On my right sat a posse of possible ‘Millies’, bored teenagers who would rather be otherwise engaged. On the front was a sepia-toned photo of Jennings, his band, and a battered posse of cronies gathered around a bar. They where all kisses and hugs until the rest of the posse that had gathered just outside the door came in. A couple of girls in Jessica's posse strolled by and scowled at me. My hard work is paying off as each Thursday my posse of party people gets bigger and bigger. ‘You know this is my room’ I pushed the door open to reveal all of Jake's posse in there. There is only one place to skate where I live and none of my posse drives yet. No-neck goons in black turtlenecks and lumpy suit jackets are fine if you want to hit a dance club with a posse, but they are not effective for executives. Your faithful friends might feel replaced if you gush about your awesome new posse. People are going to be particularly drawn to you, so you're bound to make a whole new posse of pals. Across the room a posse of young men, fresh from a football match, amused themselves by downing pints of lager in rapid succession and groping any woman who passed by. Synonyms group, gang, troop, troupe, party, company, band, body, crowd, pack, army, herd, flock, bevy, drove, horde, galaxy, assemblage, gathering Origin Mid 17th century: from medieval Latin, literally 'power', from Latin posse 'be able'. The word posse calls to mind the image, familiar from Westerns, of a body of men being recruited by a sheriff and saddling up to pursue outlaws or other wrongdoers. The key element in its meaning is not the pursuing, though, but the fact that the sheriff has empowered this group of people to enforce the law. In medieval Latin posse meant ‘power’, and came from Latin posse ‘to be able’. Posse pre-dated the widespread colonization of the USA, and was first used in Britain during the mid 17th century to mean ‘an assembled force or band’ and specifically ‘the population of local able-bodied men summoned by a sheriff to stop a riot or pursue criminals’. See also power. Possible (Late Middle English) comes from the same root, while Latin potentia ‘power’ formed from posse, gives us words such as potent, potentate, and potential (all LME). Rhymes bossy, Flossie, flossy, glossy, mossy Definition of posse in US English: posse nounˈpäsēˈpɑsi US historical 1A body of men, typically armed, summoned by a sheriff to enforce the law. Example sentencesExamples He had killed two sheriffs and fought off many posses. His wound was inflicted by a sheriff's posse pursuing him for an assault upon a farmer's wife. The station looked deserted, but it wouldn't be for long once the news reached Alpha Station, and where in the galaxies were the sheriff and his posse? Sheriffs' posses were sent from the mainland with arrest warrants, but Strang, with the help of his lieutenants, evaded capture by skirting the island's shores in a ramshackle boat. In colonial America, policing relied on community consensus and citizens' service as constables and in sheriffs' posses. Well, before he became the name of a Montreal suburb, in 1660, Dollard rounded up a posse of 16 volunteers to ambush an Iroquois attack on what became Montreal. Synonyms team, company, unit, party, working party, gang, shift, line-up, squad, force, corps 1.1British The body of men in a county whom the sheriff could summon to enforce the law. Example sentencesExamples The Senate added language to account for constitutional authority to use the Army as a posse comitatus, or otherwise, to execute the laws. Prior to the emergence of the police, ordinary citizens would bring what arms they had in response to a ‘hue and cry’ or when serving on a posse comitatus. Synonyms group, crowd, body, party, band, collection, assembly, assemblage, cluster, flock, herd, horde, troupe, swarm, stream, mob, throng, congregation, gathering, meeting, convention 1.2informal A group of people who have a common characteristic, occupation, or purpose. he pompously led around a posse of medical students Example sentencesExamples The fugitive, who broke out from a supposedly secure area, tried to ram patrol cars, managed to out-run Gardaí and a posse of local people, was eventually shot. Early on a December morning in 1998, a posse of policemen knocked on the door of his country cottage, issued a warrant for his arrest, and spent eight hours searching his property. Everywhere he stepped either side of a gentle curtain raiser, a posse of well-wishers shadowed him, grabbing an autograph here, a picture there and a precious chat wherever possible. Look, if you've got a posse of restless toddlers at home and just want to shut 'em up for 90 minutes, then by all means, bring them to see this movie. He has charisma, a fabulous new line of hipster clothing, a reality-TV show in development, and a posse of hot young actors swooning over his righteous aura. He's surrounded by a posse of eager reporters who are trying to interview him with the help of an interpreter while the sound of Puccini blasts out from every corner of the room. Rumours swirled around about a posse of policemen, acting on complaints from residents of the surrounding high-rise buildings, who had picked him up that morning. Seemingly all the pre-match focus was on the striker, as a posse of photographers lurking in the press room testified. Last night was John's work do - a posse of computer genius guys and girls, packed around a long table at their local. Amid a frenzy of handshakes, nostalgic ‘what could have been’ looks and a posse of camera crews, the Conservative leader yesterday returned to a hero's welcome in Blackpool. At 1.30 am a posse of musicians with their sound system arrived, and parked themselves in the six-foot square space empty next to me. Thus they reluctantly join forces with a posse of vampires, who refer to themselves collectively as the Blood Gang, for some vampire hunting in the dark streets and sewers of Prague. That pretty much launched the TV careers of a posse of legal analysts. The instrument, his long-term comedy partner, was still around for support but he also introduced a posse of new characters and comedy situations. London was the height of hip, with a posse of hot young designers blazing a path through the jaded fashion pack and spawning the ‘Cool Britannia’ era. When she returned from the championships, she was met at the airport by a posse of reporters asking her about drugs and steroids. The island is neat and well tended by a posse of gardeners - where Young Island is so profuse, Mustique is sparser and drier. The Sabbath was reserved for Sunday tea - usually in the presence of a posse of relatives, called in by postcard from the tram-rocking outer suburbs. To this end he created a posse of brilliantly realised characters, each complete with their own distinctive voices, personalities and catchphrases. He sat in silence through the shareholders’ meeting, and was escorted to and from it by a posse of bodyguards. Synonyms set, group, band, circle, company, fraternity, clique, coterie 1.3informal A group of people who socialize together, especially to go to clubs or raves. Example sentencesExamples A couple of girls in Jessica's posse strolled by and scowled at me. You were always leading that ridiculous posse of yours in high school. ‘You know this is my room’ I pushed the door open to reveal all of Jake's posse in there. On my right sat a posse of possible ‘Millies’, bored teenagers who would rather be otherwise engaged. Across the room a posse of young men, fresh from a football match, amused themselves by downing pints of lager in rapid succession and groping any woman who passed by. There is only one place to skate where I live and none of my posse drives yet. My children, looking gruesome, go off with their posse and gather armfuls of treats. People are going to be particularly drawn to you, so you're bound to make a whole new posse of pals. Rather than sulking and feeling totally threatened by your pal's posse, share her excitement about her newfound friendships. My hard work is paying off as each Thursday my posse of party people gets bigger and bigger. On our final night, after taking everyone out to dinner, he invited the whole posse to a big fashion-style party downtown. No-neck goons in black turtlenecks and lumpy suit jackets are fine if you want to hit a dance club with a posse, but they are not effective for executives. On the front was a sepia-toned photo of Jennings, his band, and a battered posse of cronies gathered around a bar. Your faithful friends might feel replaced if you gush about your awesome new posse. They where all kisses and hugs until the rest of the posse that had gathered just outside the door came in. Synonyms group, gang, troop, troupe, party, company, band, body, crowd, pack, army, herd, flock, bevy, drove, horde, galaxy, assemblage, gathering Origin Mid 17th century: from medieval Latin, literally ‘power’, from Latin posse ‘be able’.
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