power

plural powers · alternative obsolete powre

1. countableuncountableThe ability to do or undergo something.

   He has lost the power to speak.

   2 more examples

   On June 8, 1872, the London & North Western Railway obtained powers to quadruple its main line, and a new tunnel was bored for the up and down slow lines.

   1950 September, “Network News: Watford Tunnel, L.M.R.”, in Railway Magazine, page 641

   If it is spirits who have power to suffer, it seems they would also have active powers to think and will.

   2018, Marilyn McCord Adams, Horrendous Evils and the Goodness of God, page 74

   Synonyms: kick

   1. countableuncountableAnextraordinary or supernatural ability.

      Witches and mages have magic powers.

      1 more example

      You know not the power which you command.

      2023 December 18, “Galactus VS Unicron (Marvel Comics VS Transformers)” (17:15 from the start), in DEATH BATTLE!, season 10, episode 16, spoken by Galactus (Wolf Williams)

      Synonyms: kick

   2. countableuncountablesocialThe ability to coerce, influence, or control.

      The proportion of female colleagues in the Hsinchu County Government and its affiliated units has reached 61%. “Women Power” is the power behind over half of the services provided by the county government.

      2022 March 8, “Magistrate Yang Wen-ke Sends Female Staff in Hsinchu County Government Roses for Their Contributions”, in HsinChu County Government, archived from the original on 19 Jul 2022

      Synonyms: kick

   3. countablesocialThe ability to affect or influence.

      the power of the written word

      4 more examples

      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.

      1749, Henry Fielding, The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, volume III, London: A[ndrew] Millar, […], →OCLC, book II

      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.

      1749, Henry Fielding, The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, volume III, London: A[ndrew] Millar, […], →OCLC, book III

      No matter how different we appear, we're all the same in our struggle against the powers of evil and darkness. I hope that this day will always be a day of joy in which we can reconfirm our dedication and our courage and more than anything else, our love for one another. This is the promise of the Tree of Life.

      1978 November 17, 1:30:50 from the start, in The Star Wars Holiday Special (Science Fiction), spoken by Carrie Fisher, →OCLC

      Past and future obviously have no reality of their own. Just as the moon has no light of its own, but can only reflect the light of the sun, so are past and future only pale reflections of the light, power, and reality of the eternal present.

      1998, Eckhart Tolle, The Power of Now

      Synonyms: kick

   4. countableuncountablesocialThe ability or authority to control, govern, command, coerce, etc., such as in a legal, political or business sphere.

      He's nominally president, but he does not have any real power.

      5 more examples

      “[…] That woman is stark mad, Lord Stranleigh. Her own father recognised it when he bereft her of all power in the great business he founded. […]”

      1913, Robert Barr, chapter 4, in Lord Stranleigh Abroad

      The Party seeks power entirely for its own sake. We are not interested in the good of others; we are interested solely in power. Not wealth or luxury or long life or happiness: only power, pure power. [...] We know that no one ever seizes power with the intention of relinquishing it. Power is not a means, it is an end. One does not establish a dictatorship in order to safeguard a revolution; one makes the revolution in order to establish the dictatorship. The object of persecution is persecution. The object of torture is torture. The object of power is power.

      1949, George Orwell [pseudonym; George Orwell], Nineteen Eighty-Four

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

      2005 April, Columbia Law Review

      I can see your whole history in your eyes. You were born with nothing, so you've had to struggle, and connive, and claw your way to power. But true power—the divine right to rule—is something you're born with.

      2006 December 1, Aaron Ehasz, “The Crossroads of Destiny” (12:27 from the start), in Michael Dante DiMartino, director, Avatar: The Last Airbender, season 2 (Book Two: Earth), episode 20, spoken by Azula (Grey DeLisle)

      It has jailed environmental activists and is planning to limit the power of judicial oversight by handing a state-approved body a monopoly over bringing environmental lawsuits.

      2013 August 10, “Can China clean up fast enough?”, in The Economist, volume 408, number 8848, archived from the original on 31 Aug 2013

      Synonyms: kick

   5. countablein pluralmetonymicallyuncountablesocialThe people in charge of legal or political power, the government.

      Synonyms: kick, powers that be

   6. countablemetonymicallyuncountablesocialA strong or influential nation, company, or other such body.

      Britain is no longer the maritime power that it once was.

      2 more examples

      In the 19th century, Britain and France were major colonial powers.

      Most of the Himalayan rivers have been relatively untouched by dams near their sources. Now the two great Asian powers, India and China, are rushing to harness them as they cut through some of the world's deepest valleys.

      2013 August 16, John Vidal, “Dams endanger ecology of Himalayas”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 189, number 10, archived from the original on 30 Mar 2016, page 8

      Synonyms: kick

   7. archaiccountablemetonymicallyuncountablesocialAn army; a military force.

      Then when our powers in points of ſwords are ioin’d And cloſde in compaſſe of the killing bullet, Though ſtraite the paſſage and the port be made, That leads to Pallace of my brothers life, Proud is his fortune if we pierce it not.

      c. 1587–1588 (date written), [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], 2nd edition, part 1, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592, →OCLC; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire; London: Scolar Press, 1973, →ISBN, Act II, scene i

      1 more example

      The threatning words of duke Robert comming at the last to king Henries eares, caused him foorthwith to conceiue verie sore displeasure against the duke, in so much that he sent ouer a power of men into Normandie, which finding no great resistance, did much hurt in the countrie, by fetching and carieng spoiles and preies.

      1577, Raphaell Holinshed, The Firste Volume of the Chronicles of England, Scotlande, and Irelande […], volume I, London: […] [Henry Bynneman] for Iohn Harrison, →OCLC

      Synonyms: kick

2. Strength; energy.
   1. countablephysicaluncountablePhysical force or strength.

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

      Synonyms: steam

   2. attributivecountablephysicaluncountableDesignating one who does something forcefully or on a large or grand scale.

      This high-spec computer is ideal for power users.

      1 more example

      She's a power shopper; she knows all the best deals.

   3. countablephysicaluncountableThe production or flow of energy providing means to do work; energy per time unit.

      The power to haul the train is supplied by two huge locomotives.

   4. countablephysicalspecificallyuncountableElectricity or a supply of electricity.

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

      3 more examples

      “My father had ideas about conservation long before the United States took it up.[…]You preserve water in times of flood and freshet to be used for power or for irrigation throughout the year. […]”

      1913, Robert Barr, chapter 4, in Lord Stranleigh Abroad

      [Rural solar plant] schemes are of little help to industry or other heavy users of electricity. Nor is solar power yet as cheap as the grid. For all that, the rapid arrival of electric light to Indian villages is long overdue. When the national grid suffers its next huge outage, as it did in July 2012 when hundreds of millions were left in the dark, look for specks of light in the villages.

      2013 July 20, “Out of the gloom”, in The Economist, volume 408, number 8845, archived from the original on 22 Aug 2013

      A U.S. Navy destroyer experienced a complete loss of power while deployed in the South China Sea last month, leaving sailors without drinkable water, meals, running toilets or air conditioning for four days.

      2026 August 17, Tara Copp, “U.S. Navy destroyer lost power for 4 days in South China Sea”, in The Washington Post, archived from the original on 18 Aug 2026

   5. countablephysicaluncountablenatural sciencesThe rate at which work is done or energy is transferred, expressed in units of energy per unit of time.

      The kilowatt is a unit of power, equivalent to 1,000 joules of energy per second.

   6. countablephysicaluncountableThe strength by which a lens or mirror magnifies an optical image.

      We need a microscope with higher power.

3. colloquialcountableuncountabledated outside the phrase 'power of good'A large amount or number.

   do a power of good

   5 more examples

   "I'm shure," said Jack, "sense your honour lives down undher the wather, you must be obleeged to dhrink a power to keep any hate in you, at all at all, in such a cruel, damp, cowld place."

   1850, Thomas Keightley, The Fairy Mythology, London: H.G. Bohn, page 530

   Don't you mind my snuffling a little—becuz we're in a power of trouble.

   1872, Mark Twain, chapter XLVII, in Roughing It

   what a power of languages he knew

   1918, Henry Kitchell Webster, “The White Arc”, in Everybody's Magazine, volume XXXVIII, number Five

   All the other children are making a power of noise

   1944/5, Dylan Thomas, Twenty Years a-Growing (filmscript (unfinished)), published 1964

   "There'd be a power of horses down there on the parade ground, wouldn't there ?"

   2002, William Magan, Soldier of the Raj, page 161

4. countableuncountableAny of the elementary forms or parts of machines: three primary (the lever, inclined plane, and pulley) and three secondary (the wheel-and-axle, wedge, and screw).

   the mechanical powers

5. countableuncountabletruckingA tractor.

   The set I'm making right now needs a power on it, but we don't have any tractors left in the yard.

6. countableuncountableengineeringA measure of the effectiveness that a force producing a physical effect has over time. If linear, the quotient of: (force multiplied by the displacement of or in an object) ÷ time. If rotational, the quotient of: (force multiplied by the angle of displacement) ÷ time.
7. countableuncountablemathematicsA product of equal factors (and generalizations of this notion): xⁿ, read as "x to the power of n" or the like, is called a power and denotes the product x×x×⋯×x, where x appears n times in the product; x is called the base and n the exponent.
8. countableuncountablemathematicsCardinality.
9. countableuncountablemathematicsThe probability that a statistical test will reject the null hypothesis when the alternative hypothesis is true.
10. countablein pluraluncountablebiblicalIn Christian angelology, an intermediate level of angels, ranked above archangels, but exact position varies by classification scheme.
11. countableuncountablequiz bowlA bonus point awarded for answering correctly before a certain part of the tossup is read.

present singular third person powers · participle present powering · participle past powered · past powered · alternative obsolete powre

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

   This CD player is powered by batteries.

   2 more examples

   The family paid about $125 for a solar panel that powers two light bulbs and a socket.

   2012 July 3, Julien Bouissou, “Solar power brings electricity to the homes of India's poor”, in The Guardian, archived from the original on 16 Apr 2021

   Lots of India’s 400,000 mobile-phone towers are powered at least in part by diesel generators, which are noisy, dirty and costly. […] Last year in nearby Atrauli village, on the edge of mango woods, OMC opened a solar plant to power two phone towers.

   2013 July 20, “Out of the gloom”, in The Economist, volume 408, number 8845, archived from the original on 22 Aug 2013

2. transitiveTo hit or kick something forcefully.

   United keeper Edwin van der Sar was the unlikely provider as his clearance found Rooney, who had got ahead of last defender Richard Dunne, and the forward brilliantly controlled a ball coming from over his shoulder before powering a shot past Brad Friedel.

   2011 February 1, Mandeep Sanghera, “Man Utd 3 - 1 Aston Villa”, in BBC Sport, archived from the original on 23 Mar 2012

3. To enable or provide the impetus for.

   Abdul Sattar Edhi came to Karachi as a poor man from an Indian village in 1947. Starting with a small pharmacy tent, his work rapidly expanded, powered by donations from ordinary citizens.

   2017 April 6, Samira Shackle, “On the frontline with Karachi’s ambulance drivers”, in The Guardian, archived from the original on 11 Apr 2019

4. intransitiveTo move or advance with great force or speed.

   Playing with freedom and no fear, Ashleigh Barty has powered into the Australian Open third round without even a coach. Barty clubbed China’s Yafan Wang 6-2, 6-3 on Wednesday before revealing she had been largely flying solo during her charge to the last 32 for only the second time.

   2019 January 16, “Ashleigh Barty loses coach but wins latest Australian Open encounter”, in The Guardian, archived from the original on 30 Mar 2019

comparative more power · superlative most power · alternative obsolete powre

1. MalaysiaSingaporecolloquialImpressive.

   His hokkien is damn power lah!

   2010, Caihong Lim, Kesheng Lim, Footprints All Over: Love, Happiness,Joy

   3 more examples

   Check out the POWER Mee Rebus & Lontong in this newly established Nasi Padang coffee shop at Market Street Carpark.

   2001, Thian, Makan Time

   Their performance is very the Power!

   2005, Bayya, Bayya Eats ... and Other Stuff

   Eh his soccer skills damn power one.

   2015, SGMOJI, Your Ultimate Guide to Locally-Grown Emojis, archived from the original on 04 Mar 2016

alternative obsolete powre

1. PhilippinescolloquialUsed as a cheer to express support

plural Powers

1. A button of a computer, a video game console, or similar device, that when pressed, causes the device to be either shut down or powered up.

1. A surname.

   Although US officials have been sounding the alarm about the imminent risk of famine in the war-torn strip, USAID Administrator Samantha Power is the first official to publicly agree with an assessment that famine is already taking place.

   2024 April 11, Jennifer Hansler, “USAID administrator says it is ‘credible’ to assess famine is already occurring in parts of Gaza”, in CNN