poised
Use Poised in a sentence
adjective
1.
(of a person) composed, dignified, and self-assured.
2.
being in balance or equilibrium: a balloon poised on the nose of a seal.
3.
teetering or wavering: to be poised on the brink of disaster.
4.
hovering or suspended in or as in midair: a bird poised in flight; a helicopter poised overhead.
00:10
Poised
is always a great word to know.
So is bezoar. Does it mean:
| a stew of meat, vegetables, potatoes, etc. |
| a calculus or concretion found in the stomach or intestines of certain animals, esp. ruminants, formerly reputed to be an effective remedy for poison. |
Dictionary.com Unabridged
noun
2.
a dignified, self-confident manner or bearing; composure; self-possession: to show poise in company.
3.
steadiness; stability: intellectual poise.
4.
suspense or wavering, as between rest and motion or two phases of motion: the poise of the tides.
5.
the way of being poised, held, or carried.
verb (used with object)
7.
to adjust, hold, or carry in equilibrium; balance evenly.
8.
to hold supported or raised, as in position for casting, using, etc.: to poise a spear.
9.
to hold or carry in a particular manner: She walked, carefully poising a water jug on her head.
10.
Obsolete. to weigh.
verb (used without object)
11.
to rest in equilibrium; be balanced.
12.
to hover, as a bird in the air.
Origin:
1350–1400; (noun) Middle English pois(e) weight < Old French (French poids) < Late Latin pēnsum, noun use of neuter past participle of Latin pendere to weigh; (v.) Middle English poisen to weigh < Old French poiser, variant, based on tonic stem, of peser < Latin pēnsāre, frequentative of pendere
1350–1400; (noun) Middle English pois(e) weight < Old French (French poids) < Late Latin pēnsum, noun use of neuter past participle of Latin pendere to weigh; (v.) Middle English poisen to weigh < Old French poiser, variant, based on tonic stem, of peser < Latin pēnsāre, frequentative of pendere
Synonyms
2. self-assurance; polish, grace, refinement.
2. self-assurance; polish, grace, refinement.
Antonyms
1, 3. instability.
1, 3. instability.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source
|
Link To poised
Collins
World English Dictionary
poise1 (pɔɪz) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —n | |
| 1. | composure or dignity of manner |
| 2. | physical balance or assurance in movement or bearing |
| 3. | the state of being balanced or stable; equilibrium; stability |
| 4. | the position of hovering |
| 5. | suspense or indecision |
| —vb | |
| 6. | to be or cause to be balanced or suspended |
| 7. | (tr) to hold, as in readiness: to poise a lance |
| 8. | (tr) a rare word for weigh |
| [C16: from Old French pois weight, from Latin pēnsum, from pendere to weigh] | |
| poise2 (pwɑːz, pɔɪz) | |
| —n | |
| P the cgs unit of viscosity; the viscosity of a fluid in which a tangential force of 1 dyne per square centimetre maintains a difference in velocity of 1 centimetre per second between two parallel planes 1 centimetre apart. It is equivalent to 0.1 newton second per square metre | |
| [C20: named after Jean Louis Marie Poiseuille (1799--1869), French physician] | |
| poised (pɔɪzd) | |
| —adj | |
| 1. | self-possessed; dignified; exhibiting composure |
| 2. | balanced and prepared for action: a skier poised at the top of the slope |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
poise
early 15c., "weight, quality of being heavy," later "significance, importance" (mid-15c.), from O.Fr. pois "weight, balance, consideration," from M.L. pesum "weight," from L. pensum, noun use of neuter pp. of pendere "to weigh" (see pendant). The sense of "steadiness, composure"
first recorded 1640s, from notion of being equally weighted on either side (1550s). The verb is first recorded late 14c., "to have a certain weight," from O.Fr. peser, from V.L. pesare, from L. pensare "to weigh carefully," freq. of pendere (pp. pensus) "to weigh." Passive sense of "to be ready" (to do something) is from 1932.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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American Heritage
Medical Dictionary
poise (poiz, pwäz)
n.
A centimeter-gram-second unit of dynamic viscosity equal to one dyne-second per square centimeter.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Cite This Source
American Heritage
Science Dictionary
| poise (poiz, pwäz) Pronunciation Key
The unit of dynamic viscosity in the centimeter-gram-second system, equal to one dyne-second per square centimeter, or 0.1 pascal-seconds. |
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Example sentences
The comparatively small head was poised on a vast snake of neck, altogether outdoing the neck of the swan.
Now, several new films stand poised to push the tide back further.
The carrier rises with a thunk, and the magnetic field holds it poised a half inch in the air.
We had a fast car ready, a relay to a man first in line at the cable office and stenographers with pencils poised at the bureau.
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