Obs. Forms: 4–5 opose, apose, 5–7 appose. [orig. a variant spelling of OPPOSE, ME. oposen and aposen, = OFr. oposer and aposer (both languages showing substitution of the more common atonic ă- for atonic ŏ-: even med.L. confounded appositum and oppositum), used in the common scholastic sense of L. oppōnĕre ‘to argue against, bring forward objections or difficulties to be answered’ (oppōnere et respondēre). In senses more obviously connected with the primary meaning of oppōnĕre and opposition, the form oppose was at length established; but in those in which this connection was not apparent, and which might even be plausibly explained from appōnĕre, as if ‘to put it to one,’ appose early prevailed. Also aphetized in 15th c. to POSE, the mod. repr. For the artificial affiliation of -pose to L. pōnĕre, positum, see next.]
1. To confront with objections or hard questions; to examine, interrogate, question.
c. 1315. Shoreham, 145. Ȝef the faly throf to be aposed, Sey God nys nauȝt in ther wordle a-closed.
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls Ser.), IV. 291. Þe childe Jesus … sittynge and apposynge þe doctours.
a. 1400. Cov. Myst. (1841), 137. The Busschop xal your lyff appose.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., Examyn, or apposyn (posyn, posen), Examino.
1553. Short Catech. Edw. VI., 495. Thus beginneth the Master to appose his Scholar … I thought it best to oppose thee by certain questions.
1558. Bp. Watson, 7 Sacram., xxi. 130. The mynister should not be compelled to appose and examine the penitent.
1581. Campion, in Confer., III. (1584), O ij. You come to appose mee, as if I were a scholer in the Grammar schoole.
1615. T. Adams, Two Sonnes, 65. Question against question: the Jewes appose Jesus, Jesus apposeth the Jewes.
2. absol. and intr.
c. 1325. E. E. Allit. P., A. 901. Þaȝ I appose, I schulde not tempte þy wyt so wlonc.
1491. Caxton, Vitas Patr. (W. de W.), I. xciii. 127 b/1. I woll apose and dyspute wyth hym of some necessary thynges.
1551. T. Wilson, Logic, 61. The one aunswering and denying, and the other still apposing.
1581. Campion, in Confer., III. (1584), U iij b. I would I might appose.
3. spec. To examine as to accounts, to audit. (Cf. APPOSER 2.)
1601. Tate, Househ. Ord. Ed. II., § 44 (1876), 26. A serjant naper … shal aunswere for it as often as he shal be apposed.
1738. Hist. Crt. Exchequer, v. 96. The Sheriff was apposed anciently in open Court and now by the Cursitor Baron.
4. = OPPOSE, q.v.
