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powers

 [pou-erz]   Origin

Pow·ers

   [pou-erz]
noun
Hiram, 1805–73, U.S. sculptor.
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Dictionary.com Unabridged

pow·er

   [pou-er]
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.
EXPAND
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.
c.
the exponent of an expression, as a in xa.
d.
cardinal number (def. 2).
20.
Optics.
a.
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.
COLLAPSE
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; 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
coun·ter·pow·er, noun
de-pow·er, verb (used with object)
re·pow·er, verb

Synonyms
1. capacity. 3. energy. See strength. 4, 5. sway, rule, sovereignty.

Antonyms
1. incapacity. 3. weakness.

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
Cite This Source Link To powers
Etymonline
Word Origin & History

power
c.1300, 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
EXPAND
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.
COLLAPSE
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
American Heritage
Medical Dictionary

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.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Cite This Source
American Heritage
Science Dictionary
power   (pou'ər)  Pronunciation Key 

  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.


The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
American Heritage
Cultural Dictionary

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.

The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
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