attitude

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   a theatrical pose created for effect

   the actor struck just the right attitude

2. 2
   noun

   the arrangement of the body and its limbs

   They assumed an attitude of surrender.

3. 3
   noun

   a complex mental state involving beliefs and feelings and values and dispositions to act in certain ways

   The manager had the attitude that work was fun.

4. 4
   noun

   The position of the body or way of carrying oneself.

   The ballet dancer walked with a graceful attitude.

5. 5
   noun

   Disposition or state of mind.

   Don't give me your negative attitude.

6. 6
   noun

   Unpleasant behavior.

   He doesn't take attitude from anybody.

7. 7
   noun

   The orientation of a vehicle or other object relative to the horizon, direction of motion, other objects, etc.

   The airliner had to land with a nose-up attitude after the incident.

8. 8
   noun

   A position similar to arabesque, but with the raised leg bent at the knee.

   Blasis was a man of many accomplishments. He invented the ballet position of attitude and codified the ballet technique of that time, distinguishing three types of dancers: the serious, the demi-caractère, and the comic dancer.

Etymology

From French attitude, from Italian attitudine (“attitude, aptness”), from Medieval Latin aptitūdō (“aptitude”) and actitūdō (“acting, posture”), from Latin aptō and actitō. Doublet of aptitude.