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.

Idioms for power

the powers that be, those in supreme command; the authorities: The decision is in the hands of the powers that be.

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

Words nearby power

powderman, powdery, powdery mildew, powell, powell, colin, power, power amplifier, power assist, power base, power behind the throne, power brake

Definition for power (2 of 2)

pow ¹

[ pou ]

/ paʊ /

interjection

(used to express or indicate a heavy blow or a loud, explosive noise.)

noun

a heavy blow or a loud, explosive noise.

the power of exciting.

adjective

exciting and appealing.

Origin of pow

An Americanism dating back to 1880–85

Example sentences from the Web for power

Would the Democrats rescind those rights if they were to return to power?

The Black Man Who Replaced Jefferson Davis in the Senate |Philip Dray |January 7, 2015 |DAILY BEAST
Employees strap a device to their heads and power a helicopter drone with their minds.

Use Your Brain—Control a Drone |The Daily Beast Video |January 5, 2015 |DAILY BEAST
What it endangers is a narrow conception of Russian power, understood through the eyes of its dictatorial leader.

Oliver Stone’s Latest Dictator Suckup |James Kirchick |January 5, 2015 |DAILY BEAST
I believe in the power of institutions—Congress, public policy, certain ideas about politics—that last for a long time.

Thank Congress, Not LBJ for Great Society |Julian Zelizer, Scott Porch |January 4, 2015 |DAILY BEAST

We, on the other hand, are the ones who are making it bad, and the ones with the power to change that.

Cover-Ups and Concern Trolls: Actually, It's About Ethics in Suicide Journalism |Arthur Chu |January 3, 2015 |DAILY BEAST
She saw in them, it is true, a reflex of her own power—and that pleased, but it did not move her.

Mary Marston |George MacDonald
It has no power, but perhaps you could tow it behind your launch.

Roy Blakeley |Percy Keese Fitzhugh
But his glory was growing dim and his power was withering into dust.

The Great Events by Famous Historians, v. 13 |Various
The cardinal wanted a benefice for one of his followers, and the Pope wished to get his son's enemy once more into his power.

Renaissance in Italy Vol. 3 |John Addington Symonds
No one need tell me that India has not got this power of suffering.

Freedom's Battle |Mahatma Gandhi

British Dictionary definitions for power (1 of 5)

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

British Dictionary definitions for power (2 of 5)

pow ¹

/ (paʊ) /

interjection

an exclamation imitative of a collision, explosion, etc

British Dictionary definitions for power (3 of 5)

pow ²

/ (paʊ) /

noun

Scot the head or a head of hair

Word Origin for pow

a Scot variant of poll

British Dictionary definitions for power (4 of 5)

pow ³

/ (paʊ) /

noun

Scot a creek or slow stream

Word Origin for pow

C15: from earlier Scots poll

British Dictionary definitions for power (5 of 5)

POW

abbreviation for

prisoner of war

Medical definitions for power

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 power

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 power

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 power

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

power