📖 P — The English dictionary · page 46

portray — Everyday, meaning 1: To portray someone is to paint, draw or photograph them.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: To portray someone is to show them in a story or on stage as a certain kind of person.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: To portray something is to describe it in words.↗ Example: The painter portrayed the queen in gold and blue.↗ · The book portrays the sea as cruel.↗ · The actor portrays the wicked king on stage.↗

portrayal — Everyday, meaning 1: The way someone or something is shown or described in a picture, film, play or book: «a funny portrayal of a teacher».↗ Everyday, meaning 2: An actor's performance of a character: «his portrayal of the king».↗ Everyday, meaning 3: The act of describing something in a certain way, true or unfair.↗ Example: Her portrayal of the Wicked Witch scared the little ones.↗ · The book gives a true portrayal of life in a coal-mining town.↗ · Some people think the film's portrayal of farmers is unfair.↗ · We compared two portrayals of Robin Hood.↗ · The painting is a portrayal of the queen as a young girl.↗ · His portrayal of a nervous pupil made us laugh.↗ · Old cartoons often had hurtful portrayals of other peoples.↗

portrayed — Everyday, meaning 1: Portrayed means was painted, drawn or described in a certain way; it is the past form of portray.↗ Example: The wizard is portrayed as wise and kind.↗ · The painting portrayed a horse in a green field.↗ · In the tale the witch is portrayed as cruel.↗ · SY 2:1, 3:1, so it is interesting that in this verse the tongue is rather portrayed as one of two binary poles.↗ (Sefer Yetzirah, Sefaria community translation)↗ · And she increased her harlotries; for she saw men portrayed upon the wall, the images of the Chaldeans portrayed with vermilion, (Prophets EZK.23.14, JPS 1917)↗ · So I went in and saw; and behold every detestable form of creeping things and beasts, and all the idols of the house of Israel, portrayed upon the wall round about.↗ (Prophets EZK.8.10, JPS 1917)↗

portuguese — Everyday, meaning 1: Portuguese means from or about Portugal.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Portuguese is the language spoken in Portugal, Brazil and several countries in Africa and Asia.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: The Portuguese are the people of Portugal.↗ Example: My friend Ana speaks Portuguese at home.↗ · People in Brazil speak Portuguese, not Spanish.↗ · We ate Portuguese custard tarts.↗ · Lisbon is the Portuguese capital.↗ · Portuguese sailors explored the coast of Africa.↗ · She is learning Portuguese at school.↗ · "That's just like the cat, she's a villain," said the Portuguese duck.↗

pose — Everyday, meaning 1: To pose means to stay still in a special position for a photo or a picture.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: A pose is a way of standing or sitting, especially for a photo or drawing.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: To pose a question or a problem means to ask it or cause it.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: To pose as someone means to pretend to be them.↗ Example: We posed for a photo in front of the waterfall.↗ · The model held the same pose for ten minutes.↗ · Strike a funny pose!↗ · The teacher posed a tricky question.↗ · Ice on the road poses a danger to drivers.↗ · The thief posed as a window cleaner.↗ · My cat posed on the windowsill like a statue.↗

posh — Everyday, meaning 1: (informal, UK) Posh means very smart, expensive and fancy, like a posh hotel or a posh car.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (informal, UK) A posh person is from a rich, upper-class family, or speaks and acts like one.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: "Talk posh" means to speak in a very proper, upper-class accent.↗ Example: We went to a posh restaurant for Grandma's birthday.↗ · The new kid talks a bit posh.↗ · That's a posh car!↗ · They live in a posh part of town.↗ · Mum put on her posh voice on the phone.↗ · We had sandwiches, nothing posh.↗ · Don't tease him for being posh; it isn't his fault.↗

position — Everyday, meaning 1: A position is the place where someone or something is.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Position is the way a body or thing is placed, such as standing, sitting or lying.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: A position in a race, list or competition is the place you come, like first or second.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: A position in a team is the role or area a player covers.↗ Everyday, meaning 5: A position can be a job.↗ Everyday, meaning 6: To position something means to put it carefully in a place.↗ Everyday, meaning 7: A position can also mean the situation you are in, especially a difficult one.↗ Example: Use a grid to describe the position of the treasure.↗ · The digit 7 is in the tens position in 175.↗ · She finished in third position in the race.↗ · What position do you play?↗ Defender.↗ · Put the injured person in the recovery position.↗ · Stay in position until the music starts.↗ · Dad positioned the ladder against the wall.↗ · The sun's position changes during the day.↗ · I might have been in a very disagreeable position."↗ · Just as the sphere remains the same during the rotation on its axis in its setting and in its rising; yet it appears to us as if it had undergone a great change on account of its different position.↗ (Sefer Yetzirah, Kalisch 1877)↗ · Did their "harmony" mean the principle of position?'↗ (Mordell, The Origin of Letters and Numerals according to Sefer Yetzirah (1914))↗ · The principle of position is the "miracle" that makes one, many and many, one.↗ (Mordell, The Origin of Letters and Numerals according to Sefer Yetzirah (1914))↗

positional — In Jewish tradition, meaning 1: Having to do with the place or position of something.↗ Example: Miller farther says: "The discovery of zero, as used above, implies its use in positional arithmetic.↗ (Mordell, The Origin of Letters and Numerals according to Sefer Yetzirah (1914))↗ · Even if such an early date cannot be established, it appears likely that scholars will hereafter attribute the discovery of positional arithmetic to the Babylonians instead of the Hindoos."↗ (Mordell, The Origin of Letters and Numerals according to Sefer Yetzirah (1914))↗

positive — Everyday, meaning 1: Positive means sure: «I'm positive» means «I'm completely sure».↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Positive means hopeful and cheerful, thinking good things will happen.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: Positive means good or useful: a positive change.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: In maths, a positive number is greater than zero.↗ Everyday, meaning 5: A positive test result shows that something is there, such as an illness.↗ Everyday, meaning 6: In science, positive is one of the two kinds of electric charge, marked +.↗ Example: Are you positive you locked the door?↗ · 5 is a positive number and −5 is a negative number.↗ · Try to stay positive even when things go wrong.↗ · The new playground had a positive effect on the town.↗ · Her test came back positive, so she stayed home.↗ · Connect the wire to the positive end of the battery.↗ · The teacher gave us positive comments on our stories.↗ · Any number greater than zero is positive.↗ · In addition to Fortuna, the Romans worshipped Felicitas as the giver of positive good fortune.↗ · Other positive historical notices are those of Saadjah Gaon, who died a.d.↗ 940, and Judah Halevi, a.d.↗ 1150 ; (Sefer Yetzirah, Westcott 1893)↗ · Other positive historical notices are those of Saadjah Gaon, who died A.D.↗ 940, and Judah Halevi, A.D.↗ 1150%; [p. 10] both these Hebrew classics speak of it as a very ancient work.↗ (Sefer Yetzirah, Westcott 1893)↗

positively — Everyday, meaning 1: In a hopeful, good or approving way: «She answered positively.».↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (emphatic) Really, completely, truly: «It was positively freezing.».↗ Everyday, meaning 3: Certainly, without any doubt: «I positively know he was there.».↗ Everyday, meaning 4: (maths, science) In the positive direction or with a plus charge: «a positively charged particle».↗ Example: Try to think positively before the test.↗ · The coach reacted positively to our new idea.↗ · The soup was positively delicious.↗ · It was positively freezing at the bus stop this morning.↗ · A proton is positively charged.↗ · I can positively say I locked the door.↗ · The class spoke positively about the trip.↗ · The magnet's end is positively charged in this picture.↗ · As to weeds, there positively was not one to be seen.↗

possess — Everyday, meaning 1: (formal) To own or have something.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (formal) To have a quality or skill.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (of a feeling or spirit) To take control of someone's mind, as in stories about ghosts.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: (informal, in questions) "What possessed you?"↗ = why on earth did you do that?↗ Example: Tom possesses 12 marbles and gives away 5.↗ · She possesses great courage.↗ · The museum possesses a famous painting.↗ · In the story, the doll was possessed by a ghost.↗ · What possessed you to climb on the roof?↗ · Do you possess a library card?↗ · He possesses a talent for drawing.↗ · "We'll give you half of all we possess."↗ · All thy trees and the fruit of thy land shall the locust possess.↗ (Torah DEU.28.42, JPS 1917)↗ · thou shalt separate three cities for thee in the midst of thy land, which the LORD thy GOD giveth thee to possess it.↗ (Torah DEU.19.2, JPS 1917)↗ · And ye shall drive out the inhabitants of the land, and dwell therein; for unto you have I given the land to possess it.↗ (Torah NUM.33.53, JPS 1917)↗ · Arise, O God, judge the earth; for Thou shalt possess all nations.↗ (Writings PSA.82.8, JPS 1917)↗ · Wilt not thou possess that which Chemosh thy god giveth thee to possess?↗ (Prophets JDG.11.24, JPS 1917)↗ · So whomsoever the LORD our God hath dispossessed from before us, them will we possess.↗ (Prophets JDG.11.24, JPS 1917)↗

possessed — Everyday, meaning 1: (past form, formal) Had or owned.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (adjective) Controlled by an evil spirit or a very strong feeling, as in ghost stories.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: possessed of (formal, old): having a quality.↗ Example: Tom possessed 15 cards before the game.↗ · In the film, the doll was possessed by a ghost.↗ · He ran like a man possessed.↗ · She possessed great courage.↗ · The old knight possessed a magic sword.↗ · What possessed you to paint the cat?↗ · A WOMAN possessed a Hen that gave her an egg every day.↗ · So they smote him, and his sons, and all his people, until there was none left him remaining; and they possessed his land.↗ (Torah NUM.21.35, JPS 1917)↗ · And the LORD thy God will bring thee into the land which thy fathers possessed, and thou shalt possess it; and He will do thee good, and multiply thee above thy fathers.↗ (Torah DEU.30.5, JPS 1917)↗ · And Israel smote him with the edge of the sword, and possessed his land from the Arnon unto the Jabbok, even unto the children of Ammon; for the border of the children of Ammon was strong.↗ (Torah NUM.21.24, JPS 1917)↗ · So the LORD gave unto Israel all the land which He swore to give unto their fathers; and they possessed it, and dwelt therein.↗ (Prophets JOS.21.43, JPS 1917)↗ · And he gathered unto him the children of Ammon and Amalek; and he went and smote Israel, and they possessed the city of palm-trees.↗ (Prophets JDG.3.13, JPS 1917)↗ · And they possessed all the border of the Amorites, from the Arnon even unto the Jabbok, and from the wilderness even unto the Jordan.↗ (Prophets JDG.11.22, JPS 1917)↗

possession — Everyday, meaning 1: Having or owning something.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: possessions: the things a person owns.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (sport) Having control of the ball.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: (law) Having something illegal on you.↗ Everyday, meaning 5: Being controlled by a spirit, in stories.↗ Example: She packed all her possessions into one bag.↗ · His bike is his most prized possession.↗ · Our team had possession of the ball for most of the game.↗ · The apostrophe in "Sam's hat" shows possession.↗ · The man was arrested for possession of stolen goods.↗ · They took possession of the new house.↗ · In the film, the girl suffers from ghostly possession.↗ · Thus Jack took possession of the castle.↗ · Give unto us a possession among the brethren of our father.'↗ (Torah NUM.27.4, JPS 1917)↗ · In this year of jubilee ye shall return every man unto his possession.↗ (Torah LEV.25.13, JPS 1917)↗ · And ye shall take one prince of every tribe, to take possession of the land.↗ (Torah NUM.34.18, JPS 1917)↗ · Who said: 'Let us take to ourselves in possession the habitations of God.'↗ (Writings PSA.83.13, JPS 1917)↗ · He made him lord of his house, and ruler of all his possessions; (Writings PSA.105.21, JPS 1917)↗ · The thoughtless come into possession of folly; but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.↗ (Writings PRO.14.18, JPS 1917)↗

possessive — Everyday, meaning 1: Possessive means wanting to keep something or someone all to yourself and not wanting to share.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (grammar) Possessive words show that something belongs to someone, such as «my», «your», «his», «hers», «its», «our», «their», or a noun with an apostrophe and s, like «Sam's».↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (noun, grammar) The possessive is the form of a word that shows owning.↗ Example: The possessive apostrophe in «Mia's coat» shows the coat belongs to Mia.↗ · «Mine», «yours» and «theirs» are possessive pronouns.↗ · My dog gets very possessive about his ball.↗ · She was possessive of her new felt-tip pens.↗ · Add an apostrophe to make the possessive: the children's toys.↗ · A possessive friend may not like you having other friends.↗ · «Its» is possessive, but «it's» means «it is».↗

possessor — Everyday, meaning 1: A possessor is someone who owns or has a thing, often a special or magic one.↗ Example: The snake is often the possessor of magic fluids.↗ · Our peasant became the possessor of the goose.↗ · The gift makes life a constant happiness to its possessor.↗ · And Abram said: 'O Lord GOD, what wilt Thou give me, seeing I go hence childless, and he that shall be possessor of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?'↗ (Torah GEN.15.2, JPS 1917)↗