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power
[ pou-er ]
noun
- ability to do or act; capability of doing or accomplishing something:
Everyone has the power to better themselves.
Synonyms: capacity
Antonyms: incapacity
- political or national strength:
The Second World War changed the balance of power in Europe.
Synonyms: energy
Antonyms: weakness
Words have tremendous power over our minds.
- political ascendancy or control in the government of a country, state, etc.:
They attained power by overthrowing the legal government.
Synonyms: sovereignty, rule, sway, ascendancy
- legal ability, capacity, or authority:
the legislative powers vested in Congress.
- delegated authority; authority granted to a person or persons in a particular office or capacity:
a delegate with power to mediate disputes.
- a document or written statement conferring legal authority.
- a person or thing that possesses or exercises authority or influence.
- a state or nation having international authority or influence:
The great powers held an international conference.
- a military or naval force:
The Spanish Armada was a mighty power.
the heavenly powers.
- pow·ers, Theology. an order of angels. Compare angel ( def 1 ).
- Dialect. a large number or amount:
There's a power of good eatin' at the church social.
- Physics.
- work done or energy transferred per unit of time. : P
- the time rate of doing work.
- mechanical energy as distinguished from hand labor:
The factory recently began using looms driven by power.
- a particular form of mechanical or physical energy:
hydroelectric power.
- energy, force, or momentum:
The door slammed shut, seemingly under its own power.
- Mathematics.
- the product obtained by multiplying a quantity by itself one or more times:
The third power of 2 is 8.
- (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.
- the exponent of an expression, as a in xa.
- Optics.
- 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 ).
- the reciprocal of the focal length of a lens.
verb (used with object)
- to supply with electricity or other means of power:
Atomic energy powers the new submarines.
- to give power to; make powerful:
An outstanding quarterback powered the team in its upset victory.
A strong faith in divine goodness powers his life.
- (of a fuel, engine, or any source able to do work) to supply force to operate (a machine):
An electric motor powers this drill.
- to drive or push by applying power:
She powered the car expertly up the winding mountain road.
adjective
- operated or driven by a motor or electricity:
a power mower;
power tools.
- power-assisted:
cars with power brakes and power windows.
- conducting electricity:
a power cable.
- Informal. expressing or exerting power, especially in business; involving or characteristic of those having authority or influence:
She dressed for court in hose, heels, and a conservative power suit.
The corporate-sponsored lobbyists are fueled by power breakfasts of ice-cold orange juice and croissants.
verb phrase
- Computers. to shut off.
- Computers. to turn on.
power
/ ˈpaʊə /
noun
- ability or capacity to do something
- often plural a specific ability, capacity, or faculty
- political, financial, social, etc, force or influence
- control or dominion or a position of control, dominion, or authority
- a state or other political entity with political, industrial, or military strength
- a person who exercises control, influence, or authority
he's a power in the state
- a prerogative, privilege, or liberty
- legal authority to act, esp in a specified capacity, for another
- the document conferring such authority
- a military force
- military potential
- maths
- the value of a number or quantity raised to some exponent
- another name for exponent
- 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
- 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
- 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
- ( as modifier )
a power amplifier
- the ability to perform work
- mechanical energy as opposed to manual labour
- ( as modifier )
a power mower
- a particular form of energy
nuclear power
- 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
- another word for magnification
- informal.a large amount or quantity
a power of good
- plural the sixth of the nine orders into which the angels are traditionally divided in medieval angelology
- in one's poweroften foll by an infinitive able or allowed (to)
- in someone's powerunder the control or sway of someone
- the powers that bethe established authority or administration
verb
- to give or provide power to
- to fit (a machine) with a motor or engine
- slang.intr to travel with great speed or force
power
/ pou′ər /
- The source of energy used to operate a machine or other system.
- 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
- 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 10 6, equals one million.
- 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.
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Other Words From
- coun·ter·pow·er noun
- de-pow·er verb (used with object)
- re·pow·er verb
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Word History and Origins
Origin of power1
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Word History and Origins
Origin of power1
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Idioms and Phrases
- power behind the throne, someone or something that has a great deal of influence and control despite lacking official status:
Although the chairman is ostensibly in charge, his secretary makes all the decisions and is the real power behind the throne.
- the powers that be, those in supreme command; the authorities:
The decision is in the hands of the powers that be.
More idioms and phrases containing power
- corridors of power
- more power to someone
- staying power
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Synonym Study
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Related Words
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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