Definition of 'power'
Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular present
tense powers
, present participle powering
, past tense, past participle powered
1. uncountable noun
If someone has power, they have a lot of control over people and activities.
She interviewed six women who have reached positions of great power and influence.
In a democracy, power must be divided.
...a political power struggle between the Liberals and National Party.
2. uncountable noun [usually NOUN to-infinitive]
Your power to do something is your ability to do it.
Human societies have the power to solve the problems confronting them.
He was so drunk that he had lost the power of speech. [+ of]
3. uncountable noun
If it is in or within your power to do something, you are able to do it or you have the resources to deal with it.
Your debt situation is only temporary, and it is within your power to resolve it.
Although it is not in his power to do so, he said he would rebuild the Air Base.
We must do everything in our power to ensure the success of the conference.
4. uncountable noun
If someone in authority has the power to do something, they have the legal right to do it.
The Prime Minister has the power to dismiss and appoint senior ministers.
The police have the power of arrest.
The legal powers of British Customs officers are laid out in the Customs and Excise
Management Act of 1969.
5. uncountable noun [oft in NOUN]
If people take power or come to power, they take charge of a country's affairs. If a group of people are in power, they are in charge of a country's affairs.
In 1964 Labour came into power.
He first assumed power in 1970.
The party has been in power since independence in 1964.
6. countable noun
You can use power to refer to a country that is very rich or important, or has strong military forces.
The country is a major power in an area of great strategic importance.
...the emergence of a new major economic power.
7. uncountable noun
The power of something is the ability that it has to move or affect things.
The Roadrunner had better power, better tyres, and better brakes.
...massive computing power.
8. uncountable noun
Power is energy, especially electricity, that is obtained in large quantities from a fuel source and used to operate lights, heating, and machinery.
Nuclear power is cleaner than coal.
Power has been restored to most parts that were hit last night by high winds.
There is enough power to run up to four lights.
9. verb
The device or fuel that powers a machine provides the energy that the machine needs in order to work.
The battery could power an electric car for 600 miles on a single charge. [VERB noun]
The planes are powered by Rolls Royce engines. [VERB noun]
10. See also high-powered
11. adjective [ADJECTIVE noun]
Power tools are operated by electricity.
...large power tools, such as chainsaws.
...a power drill.
12. singular noun
In mathematics, power is used in expressions such as 2 to the power of 4 or 2 to the 4th power to indicate that 2 must be multiplied by itself 4 times. This is written in numbers as 2⁴, or 2 x 2 x 2 x 2, which equals
16.
Any number to the power of nought is equal to one.
Phrasal verbs:
COBUILD Advanced English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Video: pronunciation of 'power'
noun
1.
ability or capacity to do something
3.
political, financial, social, etc, force or influence
4.
control or dominion or a position of control, dominion, or authority
5.
a state or other political entity with political, industrial, or military strength
6.
a person who exercises control, influence, or authority
a power in the state
7.
8.
a.
legal authority to act, esp in a specified capacity, for another
b.
the document conferring such authority
10. mathematics
a.
the value of a number or quantity raised to some exponent
b. another name for exponent (sense 4)
11. 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
12. 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: P13.
a.
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
b.
(as modifier)
a power amplifier
14.
the ability to perform work
16.
a particular form of energy
nuclear power
18. informal
a large amount or quantity
a power of good
19. (plural)
verb (transitive)
23.
to give or provide power to
24.
to fit (a machine) with a motor or engine
25. (intransitive) slang
to travel with great speed or force
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Word origin of 'power'
noun
1.
ability to do, act, or produce
2.
a specific ability or faculty
the power of hearing
3.
great ability to do, act, or affect strongly; vigor; force; strength
4.
a.
the ability to control others; authority; sway; influence
c.
legal ability or authority; also, a document giving it
5.
a source of physical or mechanical force or energy; force or energy that is at, or
can be put to, work
electric power, water power
6.
the rate at which work is done: abbrev. P
7.
a person or thing having great influence, force, or authority
9.
national might or political strength
11. Dialectal
a large number or quantity (of something specified)
13. Ancient Mathematics
14. Optics
the degree of magnification of a lens, microscope, telescope, etc., expressed as a ratio of the diameters of image and object
verb transitive
15.
to supply with power or with a source of power
adjective
16.
operated by electricity, a fuel engine, etc.
power tools, a power mower
17.
power steering
18.
carrying electricity
power lines
19.
a power lunch, a power suit
SIMILAR WORDS: strength
Idioms:
SYNONYMY NOTE: power denotes the inherent ability or the admitted right to rule, govern, and determine
[the limited power of a president]; authority refers to the power, because of rank or office, to give commands, enforce obedience,
and make decisions [the authority of a teacher]; jurisdiction refers to the power to rule or decide within certain defined limits [the jurisdiction of the courts]; dominion implies sovereign or supreme authority [dominion over a dependent state]; sway stresses the predominance or sweeping scope of power [the Romans held sway over the ancient world]; control, in this connection, implies authority to regulate, restrain, or curb [under the control of a guardian]; command implies such authority that enforces obedience to one's orders [in command of a regiment]Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
Word origin of 'power'
Word Frequency
power in Mechanical Engineering
(paʊər)noun
(Mechanical engineering: Energy, thermodynamics and heat transfer)
Power is the rate at which energy is produced or used.
The watt is a unit of power, equal to one joule per second.
Power is usually transmitted through overhead cables.
Power is the rate at which energy is produced or used.
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Word Frequency
power in Electrical Engineering
(paʊər)noun
Talking about powerWe usually say that power is generated or produced when it is made.A thing or process that power comes from is a source of power.A power failure or outage is a temporary loss of the electric power to an area.(Electrical engineering: Circuits, Electrical power, Computing and control)
nuclear power, power factor, power factor correction, power grid, power line, power plant, power point, power station, power supply, reactive power, solar power, tidal power, uninterruptible power supply, wave power Power is electricity obtained in large quantities from a fuel source that is used to operate
machines, lights, and heating.
We need to calculate the power consumption of this system in watts.
Should the wind turbine produce more power than the demand of the house, this excess power is fed into the grid via a meter
that counts the units fed into the grid.
Power is electricity obtained in large quantities from a fuel source that is used to operate
machines, lights, and heating.
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Example sentences containing 'power'
These examples have been automatically selected and may contain sensitive content.
Read more…
It is to gain power and control. Times, Sunday Times (2016)It is powered by a battery that lasts three to four weeks. Times, Sunday Times (2016)The power pose was one of those nuggets of glamorous research which gained instant global popularity. Times, Sunday Times (2016)Either she has prodigious persuasive powers, given most of big business voted remain. Times, Sunday Times (2017)An August cut in power subsidies raised electricity bills by the same percentage. Times, Sunday Times (2016)Three minutes into the second half, the lights went off as the area suffered a power cut. Times, Sunday Times (2016)FAMILIES face a hike in their energy bills as power giants get set to pass on increases in the price they pay. The Sun (2016)The answer, shameful but informed by realpolitik, is that no major western power is prepared to intervene. Times, Sunday Times (2016)I felt a realisation I had that ability and power to let that go and forgive. The Sun (2016)This ring has the power to control all other rings. Christianity Today (2000)The navies of all the major powers awaited the outcome of this confrontation with particular fascination. SIGNOR MARCONI'S MAGIC BOX: The invention that sparked the radio revolution (2003)The new hybrid engines have reduced power but better battery life. The Sun (2014)We had this power and energy and were just perfect together. The Sun (2013)More than one story is powered by feelings of abandonment. Times, Sunday Times (2014)The electric power steering is too sudden. Times, Sunday Times (2007)We ask residents in the areas near power plants to act calmly. The Sun (2011)The nuclear power plant is in an earthquake zone. Times, Sunday Times (2010)The role and power of political officers were downgraded. Times, Sunday Times (2013)The tribunal has no legal power to compel his attendance. Times, Sunday Times (2007)The power of the new moon in your values chart makes you smarter and luckier with money. The Sun (2009) Air power can help with that too but it is a poor substitute for policy. Times, Sunday Times (2014)Some things are more important than power. Times, Sunday Times (2015)Two-thirds are turning off lights and other electrical devices to reduce power bills. The Sun (2008)With great power comes great merchandising opportunities. Times, Sunday Times (2009)You are considering the introduction of a small electrically powered car for city use. Principles of Corporate Finance (1991)You have a very simple four-cylinder engine powering electric motors. Times, Sunday Times (2012)We know Price has the power and technical ability. The Sun (2013)
Quotations
Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely letter
Power is the great aphrodisiac
Here we may reign secure, and in my choice
To reign is worth ambition though in hell;
Better to reign in hell, than serve in heav'n Paradise Lost
To reign is worth ambition though in hell;
Better to reign in hell, than serve in heav'n Paradise Lost
there is no such thing as revolutionary power, for all power is reactionary by nature Spanish anarchist slogan
A friend in power is a friend lost The Education of Henry Adams
The only purpose for which power can be rightfully exercised over any member of a
civilized community, against his will, is to prevent harm to others. His own good, either physical or moral, is not a sufficient warrant On Liberty
Word Lists
Trends of 'power'
Extremely Common. power is one of the 1000 most commonly used words in the Collins dictionary
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Translations for 'power'
British English: power
/ˈpaʊə/ NOUN
control If someone has power, they have control over people.
He has the power to keep you in after school.
- American English: power
- Arabic: قُوَّة
- Brazilian Portuguese: poder
- Chinese: 力量
- Croatian: moć
- Czech: moc
- Danish: magt
- Dutch: macht
- European Spanish: poder
- Finnish: valta
- French: pouvoir autorité
- German: Macht
- Greek: ισχύς
- Italian: potere
- Japanese: 能力
- Korean: 힘
- Norwegian: makt
- Polish: siła zdolność
- European Portuguese: poder
- Romanian: putere
- Russian: власть
- Spanish: poder fuerza, vigor
- Swedish: makt
- Thai: อำนาจ
- Turkish: güç erk
- Ukrainian: влада
- Vietnamese: quyền lực
British English: power /ˈpaʊə/ NOUN
strength The power of something is its strength.
The engine doesn't often work at full power.
- American English: power
- Arabic: قُوَّة
- Brazilian Portuguese: energia
- Chinese: 功率
- Croatian: snaga
- Czech: síla
- Danish: styrke
- Dutch: kracht
- European Spanish: potencia
- Finnish: teho
- French: puissance
- German: Kraft
- Greek: ισχύς
- Italian: potenza
- Japanese: 力
- Korean: 동력
- Norwegian: kraft
- Polish: moc
- European Portuguese: potência
- Romanian: putere
- Russian: мощность
- Spanish: potencia
- Swedish: effekt
- Thai: กำลัง
- Turkish: güç
- Ukrainian: сила
- Vietnamese: sức mạnh
Nearby words of 'power'
Source
Definition of power from the
Collins English Dictionary
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