Definition of "attitudinize"

(transitive)

1. To cause (someone or something) to assume an attitude or pose; to pose, to posture.  quotations  examples

   Quotations

   • In Greenwich, there were many gravelled walks, unshrubbed except for the nurses who dotted them, silent and attitudinized as trees.

     1951, Hortense Calisher, “In Greenwich there are Many Gravelled Walks”, in In the Absence of Angels: Stories, Boston, Mass.; Toronto, Ont.: Little, Brown and Company, page 14

2. To give the appearance of, or make a show of, (something) by assuming an affected or exaggerated attitude.  quotations  examples

   Quotations

   • While she, one hand on his arm, had been attitudinizing her dutiful gratitude, he—as she suddenly realized—had been deciding to rid her of Fordham [her estate manager]. No sentimentalizing, no attitudinizing there!

     1924, Gilbert Frankau, chapter 5, in Gerald Cranston’s Lady, 1st American edition, New York, N.Y.; London: The Century Co., section 1, page 54

(intransitive)

1. To assume an attitude or pose, especially one which is affected, exaggerated, or unnatural; to posture, to posturize; also, to excessively practise adopting attitudes or poses.  quotations  examples

   Quotations

   • He had a great averſion to geſticulating in company. He called once to a gentleman vvho offended him in that point, "Don't attitudeniſe."

     1791, James Boswell, quoting Samuel Johnson, “”, in The Life of Samuel Johnson, LL.D. […], volume II, London: […] Henry Baldwin, for Charles Dilly, […], page 518

   • Charlotte, who has the beſt voice, was brought out to ſing, but was placed a little behind, as her perſon is not quite perfect; Maria, who is the moſt pictureſque figure, was put to attitudinize at the harp, […]

     1808, [Hannah More], chapter IX, in Cœlebs in Search of a Wife. […], volume I, London: […] [Strahan and Preston] for T[homas] Cadell and W[illiam] Davies, […], pages 107–108

   • The elegant Sparkins attitudinized with admirable effect until the family had crossed the room.

     1834 February, “Boz” [pseudonym; Charles Dickens], “Horatio Sparkins”, in Sketches by “Boz,” Illustrative of Every-day Life, and Every-day People. […], volume II, London: John Macrone, […], published 1836, page 117

   • His assistant clerk played well into his hands, and his assistant lady attetudenized with immense effect, playing comic muse, or tragic, as the case admitted.

     1842, [anonymous collaborator of Letitia Elizabeth Landon], chapter XLI, in Lady Anne Granard; or, Keeping up Appearances. […], volume II, London: Henry Colburn, […], page 223

   • I was the only one of our party who saw this grand sight; the others were attitudinizing, for the benefit of the long rank of young ladies who were promenading on the bank, and so they lost it.

     1880, Mark Twain [pseudonym; Samuel Langhorne Clemens], chapter XIX, in A Tramp Abroad; […], Hartford, Conn.: American Publishing Company; London: Chatto & Windus, page 183

   • Radet was a cadaverous, weather-worn, passion-worn individual, badger-grey, and worked up into a grotesquely attitudinised fury of injured self-esteemAn adjective use.

     1901, Joseph Conrad, Ford M. Hueffer [i.e., Ford Madox Ford], chapter 11, in The Inheritors: An Extravagant Story, London: William Heinemann, page 178

2. (figurative) To create art, speak, or write in a manner which assumes affected, exaggerated, or unnatural attitudes.  quotations  examples

   Quotations

   • In every line that he wrote Cicero was attitudinising for posterity, or reflecting on the effect of his conduct upon his interests or his reputation.

     1879, James Anthony Froude, chapter XIV, in Cæsar: A Sketch, London: Longmans, Green, and Co., page 194

   • There was a short typewritten paragraph on it, no more. It read, "I do not care to be in love with myself and there is no longer anyone else for me to be in love with. Signed: Roger (F. Scott Fitzgerald) Wade. P.S. This is why I never finished The Last Tycoon." / "That mean anything to you, Mrs. Wade?" / "Just attitudinizing. He has always been a great admirer of Scott Fitzgerald. […]"

     1953, Raymond Chandler, chapter 14, in The Long Goodbye, Boston, Mass.: Houghton Mifflin Company […], published 1954, page 89