possie

English

Alternative forms

• pozzy

Etymology

From position +‎ -ie (“diminutive suffix”).

Pronunciation

• /ˈpɒzi/, pŏzi

• Audio (General Australian):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɒzi

Noun

possie (plural possies)

1. (Australia, New Zealand, military slang, Digger slang) A firing position.
   • 1990, Matthew Kentridge, An unofficial war: inside the conflict in Pietermaritzburg:

     I'm just sitting in my possie, my place, waiting for something to happen.

   • 2005, Matthew Wright, Western front: the New Zealand Division in the first World War, 1916-18:

     'There is a beautiful odour in the possie where we are,' HG Clark wrote to his family...

   • 2006, Wesley Olson, Gallipoli: the Western Australian story:

     Away from the firing line, these possies and dugouts could be made larger...

2. (Australia, New Zealand, colloquial) A position or place, especially one that is advantageous.
   • 1984, Garrie Hutchinson, A Practice Game at the Old Home Ground, from From the Outer, reprinted 2001, David Headon (editor), The Best Ever Australian Sports Writing: A 200 Year Collection, page 289,

     The fans seem happy to be back, finding their formerly favourite possies in the stands, or around the strangely sunken perimeter fence.

   • 1998, Business Review Weekly, Volume 20, Issues 47-49, page 102,

     Of course, it helps if you are very rich and regularly pay more than $40,000 for a couture outfit to be guaranteed of a near-front-row possie at the bi-annual parades (winter and summer collections).

   • 2009, Andrew Bain, Ethan Gelber, Cycling Australia, Lonely Planet, page 346:

     It′s in a good people-watching possie and if you have an early dinner between 3pm and 7pm you get a 40% discount.

Anagrams

• poises, posies