A group of people summoned by a sheriff to aid in law enforcement.
A search party.
A gang involved in crimes such as running guns and illegal narcotics trafficking.
Slang A group of friends or associates.
[Short for Medieval Latin posse comitātūs : Medieval Latin posse, power, body of men (from Latin, to be able; see potent) + comitātūs, genitive of comitātus, county.]
n. the group of teenagers or children that someone plays with or hangs out with. : Hank and his posse are in the backyard playing.
Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions by Richard A. Spears.Fourth Edition. Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
Cite This Source
Word Origin & History
posse
1645 (in Anglo-L. from 1314), shortening of posse comitatus "the force of the country" (1626, in Anglo-L. from 1285), from M.L. posse "body of men, power," from L. posse "have power, be able" + comitatus "of the country," gen. of L.L. word for "court palace." Modern slang meaning "small gang" is probably from Western movies.
[pos-ee] 
