Powers

[ pou-erz ]

/ ˈpaʊ ərz /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR Powers ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

Hiram,1805–73, U.S. sculptor.

Definition for powers (2 of 2)

power

[ pou-er ]

/ ˈpaʊ ər /

noun

ability to do or act; capability of doing or accomplishing something.

political or national strength: the balance of power in Europe.

great or marked ability to do or act; strength; might; force.

the possession of control or command over others; authority; ascendancy: power over men's minds.

political ascendancy or control in the government of a country, state, etc.: They attained power by overthrowing the legal government.

legal ability, capacity, or authority: the power of attorney.

delegated authority; authority granted to a person or persons in a particular office or capacity: the powers of the president.

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.

Often powers. a deity; divinity: the heavenly powers.

powers, 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. Symbol: P
the time rate of doing work.

mechanical energy as distinguished from hand labor: a loom 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 ath 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.
cardinal number(def 2).

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.

to inspire; spur; sustain: 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: His new car has power brakes and power windows.

conducting electricity: a power cable.

Informal. expressing or exerting power; involving or characteristic of those having authority or influence, as in power lunch;power couple;power suit.

Verb Phrases

power down, Computers. to shut off.

power up, Computers. to turn on.

Origin of power

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

SYNONYMS FOR power

1 capacity.

3 energy.

4, 5 sway, rule, sovereignty.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR power ON THESAURUS.COM

ANTONYMS FOR power

1 incapacity.

3 weakness.

SEE ANTONYMS FOR power ON THESAURUS.COM

synonym study for power

3. See strength.

OTHER WORDS FROM power

coun·ter·pow·er, noun de-pow·er, verb (used with object) re·pow·er, verb

Example sentences from the Web for powers

This is a Hollywood director at the height of his powers creating original, wildly ambitious epics.

Oscars 2015: The Daily Beast’s Picks, From Scarlett Johansson to ‘Boyhood’ |Marlow Stern |January 6, 2015 |DAILY BEAST
Indeed, it may never unless Western powers start raising the political stakes.

U.S. Ally Qatar Shelters Jihadi Moneymen |Jamie Dettmer |December 10, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Needless to say, this does not enamor her to the powers that be in Cameroon.

The Straight Hero of Cameroon’s Gays |Jay Michaelson |December 10, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
They also used the powers of their separate agencies to cite waste haulers for spilling sludge along roadways.

Two Texas Regulators Tried to Enforce the Rules. They Were Fired. |David Hasemyer, InsideClimate News |December 9, 2014 |DAILY BEAST

If I were the powers that be, it would not have taken me three days to call the National Guard.

‘Why Have I Lost Control?’: Cory Booker in ’92 on Rodney King Echoes Ferguson |Cory Booker |November 26, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
He altogether doubted his own powers to perform satisfactorily the task before him.

An Eye for an Eye |Anthony Trollope
When the powers are not used along the line of their strength they become demoralized, weakened, deteriorated.

How to Succeed |Orison Swett Marden
Yet it was the beginning of his great career, both as to a consciousness of his own powers and in attracting the public attention.

Beacon Lights of History, Volume XIII |John Lord
Now, if we consider that water raised to 212° is boiling, we shall be as much astonished at their powers of enduring heat as cold.

Harper's New Monthly Magazine, Vol. V, No. XXV, June, 1852 |Various
Even the powers of magic were tried in vain to effect his cure.

Paris from the Earliest Period to the Present Day; Volume 1 |William Walton

British Dictionary definitions for powers

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 (def. 4)

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 Symbol: 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 power (often foll by an infinitive) able or allowed (to)

in someone's power under the control or sway of someone

the powers that be the established authority or administration

verb (tr)

to give or provide power to

to fit (a machine) with a motor or engine

(intr) slang to travel with great speed or force

Word Origin for power

C13: from Anglo-Norman poer, from Vulgar Latin potēre (unattested), from Latin posse to be able

Medical definitions for powers

power

[ pou′ər ]

n.

The capacity to perform or act effectively.

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

The amount of work done per unit time.

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

Scientific definitions for powers

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 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.

Cultural definitions for powers

power

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.

Idioms and Phrases with powers

power

In addition to the idioms beginning with power

power behind the throne
powers that be, the

also see:

corridors of power
more power to someone
staying power

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

Powers

noun

Definition for powers (2 of 2)