Attitude

Attitude
Attitude At"ti*tude, n. [It. attitudine, LL. aptitudo, fr. L. aptus suited, fitted: cf. F. attitude. Cf. {Aptitude}.] 1. (Paint. & Sculp.) The posture, action, or disposition of a figure or a statue. [1913 Webster]

2. The posture or position of a person or an animal, or the manner in which the parts of his body are disposed; position assumed or studied to serve a purpose; as, a threatening attitude; an attitude of entreaty. [1913 Webster]

3. Fig.: Position as indicating action, feeling, or mood; as, in times of trouble let a nation preserve a firm attitude; one's mental attitude in respect to religion. [1913 Webster]

The attitude of the country was rapidly changing. --J. R. Green. [1913 Webster]

{To strike an attitude}, to take an attitude for mere effect. [1913 Webster]

Syn: {Attitude}, {Posture}.

Usage: Both of these words describe the visible disposition of the limbs. Posture relates to their position merely; attitude refers to their fitness for some specific object. The object of an attitude is to set forth exhibit some internal feeling; as, attitude of wonder, of admiration, of grief, etc. It is, therefore, essentially and designedly expressive. Its object is the same with that of gesture; viz., to hold forth and represent. Posture has no such design. If we speak of posture in prayer, or the posture of devotion, it is only the natural disposition of the limbs, without any intention to show forth or exhibit. [1913 Webster]

'T is business of a painter in his choice of attitudes (positur[ae]) to foresee the effect and harmony of the lights and shadows. --Dryden. [1913 Webster]

Never to keep the body in the same posture half an hour at a time. --Bacon. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • ATTITUDE — Le mot attitude vient du latin aptitudo. Son sens primitif appartient au domaine de la plastique: «Manière de tenir le corps. [Avoir] de belles attitudes», dit Littré. Du physique le terme se transpose au moral: «L’attitude du respect»; puis il… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Attitude — may refer to: NOTOC Psychology* Attitude (psychology), a person s perspective toward a specified target * Propositional attitude, a relational mental state connecting a person to a propositionMusic* Attitude (rapper) * Attitudes (band), a 1970s… …   Wikipedia

  • attitude — ATTITUDE. s. f. Situation, position du corps. Belle attitude. Toutes les attitudes de ce tableau sont admirables. Mettre un modèle dans une certaine attitude. Le peindre dans une certaine attitude. Son attitude étoit à peindre. [b]f♛/b] On donne… …   Dictionnaire de l'Académie Française 1798

  • attitude — One might say that this is now a word with attitude, in its 20c meaning ‘aggressive or uncooperative behaviour’, which represents a special application of one kind of characteristic attitude (in the established meaning ‘a person s settled opinion …   Modern English usage

  • Attitüde — (sprich ˌatiˈtyːdə; von französisch attitude, gesprochen atityd, Haltung, Verhalten, Gebaren, Einstellung) nennt man in der Kunst die Haltung, Stellung oder Lage menschlicher Figuren, eine Positur oder eine Gebärde. Im Sinne der bildenden Kunst… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • attitude — [at′ə to͞od΄, at′ətyo͞od΄] n. [Fr < It attitudine, attitude, aptness < LL aptitudo (gen. aptitudinis) < L aptus, APT1] 1. the position or posture assumed by the body in connection with an action, feeling, mood, etc. [to kneel in an… …   English World dictionary

  • attitude — UK US /ˈætɪtjuːd/ noun [C or U] ► a feeling or opinion about something, especially when this shows in your behaviour: attitude towards sb/sth »We need team players with a positive attitude towards work. »What is your employer s attitude to equal… …   Financial and business terms

  • Attitüde — Sf Haltung , besonders affektierte Haltung, Einstellung erw. fremd. Erkennbar fremd (18. Jh.) Entlehnung. Entlehnt aus frz. attitude f., das seinerseits aus it. attitudine entlehnt ist. Dessen weitere Herkunft ist mehrdeutig (zu l. aptus passend… …   Etymologisches Wörterbuch der deutschen sprache

  • Attitude — ist der Name: eines Album der norwegischen Band Susperia, siehe Attitude (Album) einer britischen Zeitschrift, siehe Attitude (Zeitschrift) Diese Seite ist eine Begriffsklärung zur Unterscheidung meh …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Attitüde — Attitüde, Stellung des Leibes, Lage, Haltung, vorzüglich in der Ruhe. Die Attitüde fordert beim bildenden Künstler, beim Tänzer, beim Pantomimen und Schauspieler große Vorstudien, denn sie sei der jedesmalige genaue Abdruck des Seelenzustandes… …   Damen Conversations Lexikon

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