Depose

Depose is a verb with two principal meanings. In political or organizational contexts, to depose someone is to remove them from office, power, or rank, often by legal or political action rather than voluntary resignation. A monarch or government can be deposed; the act may result from revolution, impeachment, or a constitutional procedure. The term implies a formal change of authority and can carry the sense that the person is no longer in power.

In legal terms, to depose is to give sworn testimony. The person who testifies is a deponent (also called a witness in some jurisdictions). A deposition is the process of taking oral or written testimony under oath, usually outside the courtroom, though testimony may later be used in court. Depositions are common in civil litigation as a discovery tool, allowing attorneys to preserve the witness's testimony in a transcript and to examine it for later use.

Etymology: depose comes from Latin depōnere, to lay down or put down. In modern usage, the verb can take a broad object (to depose a ruler) or be followed by a direct object (to depose someone as a witness).

See also: deposition, deponent, deposition testimony. The word should not be confused with deposit, which refers to laying down material or money.