power

Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

Wikipedia

Contents 1 English 1.1 Etymology 1.2 Pronunciation 1.3 Noun 1.3.1 Usage notes 1.3.2 Quotations 1.3.3 Synonyms 1.3.4 Antonyms 1.3.5 Derived terms 1.3.6 Related terms 1.3.7 Translations 1.4 Verb 1.4.1 Derived terms 1.4.2 Translations 1.5 External links

[edit] English

[edit] Etymology

< Middle English poer < Old French poer < Mediaeval Latin *potere, for Latin posse (“‘to be able’”); see potent.

[edit] Pronunciation

• (RP) IPA: /paʊə/, SAMPA: /paU@/
• (GenAm) IPA: /pæʊɚ/, SAMPA: /p{U@`/
•  Audio (US)^{help, file}
• Rhymes: -aʊə(r)
• Hyphenation: pow‧er

[edit] Noun

power (countable and uncountable; plural powers)

1. (uncountable) Physical force or strength.

   He needed a lot of power to hit the ball out of the stadium.

2. (uncountable) Control and influence over another entity and its actions.

   He exerted his power upon his subordinates to obtain illicit, personal satisfaction.

   The party has won power thanks to the influence of its charismatic leader.

3. (uncountable) electricity supply.

   After the pylons collapsed, this town was without power for a few days.

4. (uncountable) (physics) A measure of the rate of doing work or transferring energy.
5. (uncountable, physics) A rate to magnify an optical image by a lens or mirror.

   We need a microscope with higher power.

6. (Biblical) in Christian angelology, the fourth level of angels, ranked above archangels and below principalities
7. (mathematics) A product of equal factors. Notation and usage: xⁿ, read as "x to the power of n" or "x to the nth power", denotes x × x × ... × x, in which x appears n times, where n is called the exponent; the definition is extended to non-integer and complex exponents.
8. (set theory) Cardinality.

[edit] Usage notes

• Attributes: positive, negative, physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, sexual, coercive, natural, cultural, etc.

[edit] Quotations

control and influence over another entity and its actions

• 2005, Columbia Law Review, April

  In the face of expanding federal power, California in particular struggled to maintain control over its Chinese population.

• 1749, Henry Fielding, The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, Book III, chapter iii

  Thwackum, on the contrary, maintained that the human mind, since the fall, was nothing but a sink of iniquity, till purified and redeemed by grace. ... The favourite phrase of the former, was the natural beauty of virtue; that of the latter, was the divine power of grace.

Ambiguous/Unknown definition

• 1749, Henry Fielding, The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, Book III, chapter ii

  An incident which happened about this time will set the characters of these two lads more fairly before the discerning reader than is in the power of the longest dissertation.

[edit] Synonyms

energy force main might muscle potency sinew strength vigor aptitude capability capacity competence

competency authority command control dominion grip hold mastery influence pull weight arm sway clout

• See also Wikisaurus:power

[edit] Antonyms

• impotence
• weakness

[edit] Derived terms

[edit] Related terms

• possible
• potent

[edit] Translations

[edit] Verb

to power (third-person singular simple present powers, present participle powering, simple past and past participle powered)

1. (transitive) To provide power for (a mechanical or electronic device).

   This CD player is powered by batteries.

[edit] Derived terms

• power down
• power up
• empower

[edit] Translations

[edit] External links

• power in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
• power in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911