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.
a.
work done or energy transferred per unit of time. Symbol:P
b.
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.
a.
the product obtained by multiplying a quantity by itself one or more times: The third power of 2 is 8.
b.
(of a number x) a number whose logarithm is a times the logarithm of x (and is called the ath power of x). Symbolically, y =xa is a number that satisfies the equation log y = a log x.
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).
b.
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.
—Idiom
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; ME pouer(e), poer(e) < AF poueir, poer, n. use of inf.: to be able < VL *potére (r. L posse to be able, have power). See potent1]
One that speaks for, represents, or advocates: Our senator is an exponent of free trade.
Abbr. expMathematics A number or symbol, as 3 in (x + y)3, placed to the right of and above another number, symbol, or expression, denoting the power to which that number, symbol, or expression is to be raised. Also called power.
adj.
Expository; explanatory.
[Latin expōnēns, expōnent-, present participle of expōnere, to expound; see expound.]
The ability or capacity to perform or act effectively.
A specific capacity, faculty, or aptitude. Often used in the plural: her powers of concentration.
Strength or force exerted or capable of being exerted; might. See Synonyms at strength.
The ability or official capacity to exercise control; authority.
A person, group, or nation having great influence or control over others: the western powers.
The might of a nation, political organization, or similar group.
Forcefulness; effectiveness: a novel of unusual power.
Chiefly Upper Southern U.S. A large number or amount. See Regional Note at powerful.
The energy or motive force by which a physical system or machine is operated: turbines turned by steam power; a sailing ship driven by wind power.
The capacity of a system or machine to operate: a vehicle that runs under its own power.
Electrical or mechanical energy, especially as used to assist or replace human energy.
Electricity supplied to a home, building, or community: a storm that cut off power to the whole region.
The product of applied potential difference and current in a direct-current circuit.
The product of the effective values of the voltage and current with the cosine of the phase angle between current and voltage in an alternating-current circuit.
Physics The rate at which work is done, expressed as the amount of work per unit time and commonly measured in units such as the watt and horsepower.
Electricity
The product of applied potential difference and current in a direct-current circuit.
The product of the effective values of the voltage and current with the cosine of the phase angle between current and voltage in an alternating-current circuit.
Statistics The probability of rejecting the null hypothesis where it is false.
A measure of the magnification of an optical instrument, such as a microscope or telescope.
powersChristianity The sixth of the nine orders of angels in medieval angelology.
Archaic An armed force.
adj.
Of or relating to political, social, or economic control: a power struggle; a power base.
Operated with mechanical or electrical energy in place of bodily exertion: a power tool; power car windows.
Of or relating to the generation or transmission of electricity: power companies; power lines.
Informal Of or relating to influential business or professional practices: a pinstriped suit with a power tie; met with high-level executives at a power breakfast.
tr.v.
pow·ered, pow·er·ing, pow·ers
To supply with power, especially mechanical power.
[Middle English, from Old French pooir, to be able, power, from Vulgar Latin *potēre, to be able, from Latin potis, able, powerful; see poti- in Indo-European roots.]
1297, from Anglo-Fr. pouair, O.Fr. povoir, noun use of the infinitive in O.Fr., "to be able," earlier podir (842), from V.L. *potere, from L. potis "powerful" (see potent). Meaning "a state or nation with regard to international authority or influence" is from 1726. The verb meaning "to supply with power" is recorded from 1898. Powerful is c.1400. Powerhouse "building where power is generated" is from 1881; fig. sense attested from 1915. Power-broker (1961) said to have been coined by T.H. White in ref. to the 1960 U.S. presidential election. Phrase the powers that be is from Rom. xiii.1. As a statement wishing good luck, more power to (someone) is recorded from 1842.
possession of controlling influence; "the deterrent power of nuclear weapons"; "the power of his love saved her"; "his powerfulness was concealed by a gentle facade" [ant: impotence]
2.
(physics) the rate of doing work; measured in watts (= joules/second)
3.
possession of the qualities (especially mental qualities) required to do something or get something done; "danger heightened his powers of discrimination" [syn: ability] [ant: inability]
4.
(of a government or government official) holding an office means being in power; "being in office already gives a candidate a great advantage"; "during his first year in office"; "during his first year in power"; "the power of the president" [syn: office]
5.
one possessing or exercising power or influence or authority; "the mysterious presence of an evil power"; "may the force be with you"; "the forces of evil"
6.
a mathematical notation indicating the number of times a quantity is multiplied by itself [syn: exponent]
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, work.
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.
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.
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.
Power County, ID (county, FIPS 77) Location: 42.68761 N, 112.83797 W Population (1990): 7086 (2701 housing units) Area: 3640.7 sq km (land), 95.9 sq km (water)
Ac*cu`mu*la"tion\, n. [L. accumulatio; cf. F. accumulation.]1. The act of accumulating, the state of being accumulated, or that which is accumulated; as, an accumulation of earth, of sand, of evils, of wealth, of honors. 2. (Law) The concurrence of several titles to the same proof. Accumulation of energy or power, the storing of energy by means of weights lifted or masses put in motion; electricity stored. An accumulation of degrees (Eng. Univ.), the taking of several together, or at smaller intervals than usual or than is allowed by the rules.
Pos"se com`i*ta"tus\ [L. posse to be able, to have power + LL. comitatus a county, from comes, comitis, a count. See County, and Power.]1. (Law) The power of the county, or the citizens who may be summoned by the sheriff to assist the authorities in suppressing a riot, or executing any legal precept which is forcibly opposed. --Blackstone. 2. A collection of people; a throng; a rabble. [Colloq.] Note: The word comitatus is often omitted, and posse alone used. "A whole posse of enthusiasts." --Carlyle. As if the passion that rules were the sheriff of the place, and came off with all the posse. --Locke.
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