| power |
noun |
Same as Poor, the fish., Ability to act, regarded as latent or inherent; the faculty of doing or performing something; capacity for action or performance; capability of producing an effect, whether physical or moral: potency; might; as, a man of great power; the power of capillary attraction; money gives power., Ability, regarded as put forth or exerted; strength, force, or energy in action; as, the power of steam in moving an engine; the power of truth, or of argument, in producing conviction; the power of enthusiasm., Capacity of undergoing or suffering; fitness to be acted upon; susceptibility; — called also passive power; as, great power of endurance., The exercise of a faculty; the employment of strength; the exercise of any kind of control; influence; dominion; sway; command; government., The agent exercising an ability to act; an individual invested with authority; an institution, or government, which exercises control; as, the great powers of Europe; hence, often, a superhuman agent; a spirit; a divinity., A military or naval force; an army or navy; a great host., A large quantity; a great number; as, a power o/ good things., The rate at which mechanical energy is exerted or mechanical work performed, as by an engine or other machine, or an animal, working continuously; as, an engine of twenty horse power., A mechanical agent; that from which useful mechanical energy is derived; as, water power; steam power; hand power, etc., Applied force; force producing motion or pressure; as, the power applied at one and of a lever to lift a weight at the other end., A machine acted upon by an animal, and serving as a motor to drive other machinery; as, a dog power., The product arising from the multiplication of a number into itself; as, a square is the second power, and a cube is third power, of a number., Mental or moral ability to act; one of the faculties which are possessed by the mind or soul; as, the power of thinking, reasoning, judging, willing, fearing, hoping, etc., The degree to which a lens, mirror, or any optical instrument, magnifies; in the telescope, and usually in the microscope, the number of times it multiplies, or augments, the apparent diameter of an object; sometimes, in microscopes, the number of times it multiplies the apparent surface., An authority enabling a person to dispose of an interest vested either in himself or in another person; ownership by appointment., Hence, vested authority to act in a given case; as, the business was referred to a committee with power. |