pŏsĭtĭo, ōnis, f. [pono], a putting, placing, setting (post-Aug.; in Cic. Fl. 26, 62, possessione is the correct reading).
I Lit.: calicis positio, Front. Aquaed. 36: surculi, Col. 3, 17: linearum, id. 3, 3 fin. : brassicae, id. 11, 3, 24.—
B Transf., a position of the body or of places, a posture , situation : corporis nostri positio, Sen. Q. N. 1, 16, 7: caeli locique, Col. 3, 4, 1: loci, Quint. 3, 7, 26: pro situ et positione locorum, id. 3, 21, 9: Italiae procurrentis, Plin. 37, 13, 77, § 201: uniuscujusque stellarum forma et positio, Gell. 14, 1.—
II Trop.
A A placing , use of a word: μετωνυμία est nominis pro nomine positio, Quint. 8, 6, 23; 1, 5, 51.—
2 In partic., affirmation : paupertas non per positionem sed per detractionem dicitur, Sen. Ep. 87, 39.—
B Transf.
1 In rhet., a proposition , theme , subject , argument , Quint. 2, 10, 15; 7, 4, 40.—
2 In gram., an ending , termination , Quint. 1, 5, 60; so id. 1, 5, 65; 1, 6, 10; 12; 22.—
3 In prosody.
a A downward beat , in marking time: a sublatione ad positionem, Quint. 9, 4, 48; so id. 9, 4, 55; Mart. Cap. 9, § 981; so of the voice (opp. elevatio), Isid. 1, 16, 21.—
b Positio syllabae, the place of a short vowel before two consonants , by which the syllable becomes long, position , Quint. 1, 5, 28; 9, 4, 86; Diom. p. 423 P. et saep.—
4 A state of mind , mood : in quācumque positione mentis sim, Sen. Ep. 64, 3.—
5 Positiones, circumstances of a thing, Quint. 7, 4, 40.