power

[pou-er] /ˈpaʊ ər/
noun
1.
ability to do or act; capability of doing or accomplishing something.
2.
political or national strength:
the balance of power in Europe.
3.
great or marked ability to do or act; strength; might; force.
4.
the possession of control or command over others; authority; ascendancy:
power over men's minds.
5.
political ascendancy or control in the government of a country, state, etc.:
They attained power by overthrowing the legal government.
6.
legal ability, capacity, or authority:
the power of attorney.
7.
delegated authority; authority granted to a person or persons in a particular office or capacity:
the powers of the president.
8.
a document or written statement conferring legal authority.
9.
a person or thing that possesses or exercises authority or influence.
10.
a state or nation having international authority or influence:
The great powers held an international conference.
11.
a military or naval force:
The Spanish Armada was a mighty power.
12.
Often, powers. a deity; divinity:
the heavenly powers.
13.
powers, Theology. an order of angels.
Compare angel (def 1).
14.
Dialect. a large number or amount:
There's a power of good eatin' at the church social.
15.
Physics.
  1. work done or energy transferred per unit of time. Symbol: P.
  2. the time rate of doing work.
16.
mechanical energy as distinguished from hand labor:
a loom driven by power.
17.
a particular form of mechanical or physical energy:
hydroelectric power.
18.
energy, force, or momentum:
The door slammed shut, seemingly under its own power.
19.
Mathematics.
  1. the product obtained by multiplying a quantity by itself one or more times:
    The third power of 2 is 8.
  2. (of a number x) a number whose logarithm is a times the logarithm of x (and is called the a th power of x). Symbolically, y = xa is a number that satisfies the equation log y = a log x.
  3. the exponent of an expression, as a in xa.
  4. cardinal number (def 2).
20.
Optics.
  1. the magnifying capacity of a microscope, telescope, etc., expressed as the ratio of the diameter of the image to the diameter of the object.
    Compare magnification (def 2).
  2. the reciprocal of the focal length of a lens.
verb (used with object)
21.
to supply with electricity or other means of power:
Atomic energy powers the new submarines.
22.
to give power to; make powerful:
An outstanding quarterback powered the team in its upset victory.
23.
to inspire; spur; sustain:
A strong faith in divine goodness powers his life.
24.
(of a fuel, engine, or any source able to do work) to supply force to operate (a machine):
An electric motor powers this drill.
25.
to drive or push by applying power:
She powered the car expertly up the winding mountain road.
adjective
26.
operated or driven by a motor or electricity:
a power mower; power tools.
27.
power-assisted:
His new car has power brakes and power windows.
28.
conducting electricity:
a power cable.
29.
Informal. expressing or exerting power; characteristic of those having authority or influence:
to host a power lunch.
Verb phrases
30.
power down, Computers. to shut off.
31.
power up, Computers. to turn on.
Idioms
32.
the powers that be, those in supreme command; the authorities:
The decision is in the hands of the powers that be.
Origin
1250-1300; Middle English pouer(e), poer(e) < Anglo-French poueir, poer, noun use of infinitive: to be able < Vulgar Latin *potēre (replacing Latin posse to be able, have power). See potent1
Related forms
counterpower, noun
de-power, verb (used with object)
repower, verb
Synonyms
1. capacity. 3. energy. See strength. 4, 5. sway, rule, sovereignty.
Antonyms
1. incapacity. 3. weakness.

pow1

[pou] /paʊ/
interjection
1.
(used to express or indicate a heavy blow or a loud, explosive noise.)
noun
2.
a heavy blow or a loud, explosive noise.
3.
the power of exciting.
adjective
4.
exciting and appealing.
Origin
1880-85, Americanism
Examples from the web for power
  • The solution will rest with our ability to form networks for exchange and to create political power.
  • The partnership goes three ways, but the power is not equal-milkweed is in control.
  • power quality problems also beset companies that use microprocessors for process control.
  • That was largely because the batteries needed to power them were so hefty.
  • So wind power is restricted to shallow seas.
  • These futuristic vehicles get their power from the sun.
  • As teensy nanotech devices get even tinier, the question of how to supply them with power becomes more pressing.
  • power applied to the transport of goods, in contradistinction to stationary power.
  • Transmitter and receiver draw operating current directly from the power lines.
  • Here are other restaurants that cater to power diners.
British Dictionary definitions for power

power

/ˈpaʊə/
noun
1.
ability or capacity to do something
2.
(often pl) a specific ability, capacity, or faculty
3.
political, financial, social, etc, force or influence
4.
control or dominion or a position of control, dominion, or authority
5.
a state or other political entity with political, industrial, or military strength
6.
a person who exercises control, influence, or authority: he's a power in the state
7.
a prerogative, privilege, or liberty
8.
  1. legal authority to act, esp in a specified capacity, for another
  2. the document conferring such authority
9.
  1. a military force
  2. military potential
10.
(maths)
  1. the value of a number or quantity raised to some exponent
  2. another name for exponent (sense 4)
11.
(statistics) the probability of rejecting the null hypothesis in a test when it is false. The power of a test of a given null depends on the particular alternative hypothesis against which it is tested
12.
(physics, engineering) a measure of the rate of doing work expressed as the work done per unit time. It is measured in watts, horsepower, etc P
13.
  1. the rate at which electrical energy is fed into or taken from a device or system. It is expressed, in a direct-current circuit, as the product of current and voltage and, in an alternating-current circuit, as the product of the effective values of the current and voltage and the cosine of the phase angle between them. It is measured in watts
  2. (as modifier): a power amplifier
14.
the ability to perform work
15.
  1. mechanical energy as opposed to manual labour
  2. (as modifier): a power mower
16.
a particular form of energy: nuclear power
17.
  1. a measure of the ability of a lens or optical system to magnify an object, equal to the reciprocal of the focal length. It is measured in dioptres
  2. another word for magnification
18.
(informal) a large amount or quantity: a power of good
19.
(pl) the sixth of the nine orders into which the angels are traditionally divided in medieval angelology
20.
(often foll by an infinitive) in one's power, able or allowed (to)
21.
in someone's power, under the control or sway of someone
22.
the powers that be, the established authority or administration
verb (transitive)
23.
to give or provide power to
24.
to fit (a machine) with a motor or engine
25.
(intransitive) (slang) to travel with great speed or force
See also power down, power up
Word Origin
C13: from Anglo-Norman poer, from Vulgar Latin potēre (unattested), from Latin posse to be able

pow1

/paʊ/
interjection
1.
an exclamation imitative of a collision, explosion, etc

pow2

/paʊ/
noun
1.
(Scot) the head or a head of hair
Word Origin
a Scot variant of poll

pow3

/paʊ/
noun
1.
(Scot) a creek or slow stream
Word Origin
C15: from earlier Scots poll

POW

abbreviation
1.
prisoner of war
Word Origin and History for power
n.

c.1300, "ability; ability to act or do; strength, vigor, might," especially in battle; "efficacy; control, mastery, lordship, dominion; legal power or authority; authorization; military force, an army," from Anglo-French pouair, Old French povoir, noun use of the infinitive, "to be able," earlier podir (9c.), from Vulgar Latin *potere, from Latin potis "powerful" (see potent).

Whatever some hypocritical ministers of government may say about it, power is the greatest of all pleasures. It seems to me that only love can beat it, and love is a happy illness that can't be picked up as easily as a Ministry. [Stendhal "de l'Amour," 1822]
Meaning "one who has power" is late 14c. Meaning "specific ability or capacity" is from early 15c. Meaning "a state or nation with regard to international authority or influence" [OED] is from 1726. Used for "a large number of" from 1660s. Meaning "energy available for work is from 1727. Sense of "electrical supply" is from 1896.

Phrase the powers that be is from Rom. xiii:1. As a statement wishing good luck, more power to (someone) is recorded from 1842. A power play in ice hockey so called by 1940. Power failure is from 1911; power steering from 1921.

v.

"to supply with power," 1898, from power (n.). Earlier it meant "make powerful" (1530s). Related: Powered; powering.

pow

expression imitative of a blow, collision, etc., first recorded 1881.

power in Medicine

power pow·er (pou'ər)
n.

  1. The capacity to perform or act effectively.

  2. Strength or force that is exerted or that is capable of being exerted.

  3. The amount of work done per unit time.

  4. A measure of the magnification of an optical instrument, such as a microscope or telescope.

power in Science
power
(pou'ər)

  1. The source of energy used to operate a machine or other system.

  2. The rate at which work is done, or energy expended, per unit time. Power is usually measured in watts (especially for electrical power) or horsepower (especially for mechanical power). For a path conducting electrical current, such as a component in an electric circuit, P = VI, where P is the power dissipated along the path, V is the voltage across the path, and I is the current through the path. Compare energy, work.

  3. Mathematics The number of times a number or expression is multiplied by itself, as shown by an exponent. Thus ten to the sixth power, or 106, equals one million.

  4. A number that represents the magnification of an optical instrument, such as a microscope or telescope. A 500-power microscope can magnify an image to 500 times its original size.


power in Culture

power definition


In physics, the amount of energy put out or produced in a given amount of time. Power is often measured in watts or kilowatts.

In mathematics, a power is a number multiplied by itself the number of times signified by an exponent placed to the right and above it. Thus, 32, which means 3 × 3, is a power — the second power of three, or three squared, or nine. The expression 106, or ten to the sixth power, means 10 × 10 × 10 × 10 × 10 × 10, or one million.

Slang definitions & phrases for power

power

verb

To hit the ball very hard: He powered that one to the wall (1940s+ Baseball)

Related Terms

flower power


pow

interjection

An imitation of a blow, collision, explosion, etc, used for sudden emphasis or to show sudden understanding: Suddenly bells went off and I knew that was it! Pow! (1881+)

noun

Power; influence; clout: only be apprehended by government action, that is, by political ''pow'' (1960s+)

[noun sense reinforced by power]


power in Technology


Performance Optimization with Enhanced RISC. The IBM processor architecture on which PowerPC was based.

Related Abbreviations for power

POW

prisoner of war
Idioms and Phrases with power

power

In addition to the idioms beginning with power
power behind the throne
also see: