power
n
1 ability or capacity to do something
2 often pl a specific ability, capacity, or faculty
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
he's a power in the state
7 a prerogative, privilege, or liberty
a legal authority to act, esp. in a specified capacity, for another
b the document conferring such authority
a the value of a number or quantity raised to some exponent
b another name for →
exponent →
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)
P
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
a mechanical energy as opposed to manual labour
b (as modifier)
a power mower
16 a particular form of energy
nuclear power
a 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
b another word for →
magnification
18 Informal a large amount or quantity
a power of good
19 ♦
in one's power often foll by an infinitive able or allowed (to)
20 ♦
in (someone's) power under the control or sway of (someone)
21 ♦
the powers that be the established authority or administration
vb tr
22 to give or provide power to
23 to fit (a machine) with a motor or engine
24 intr Slang to travel with great speed or force,
(See also)
→
power down →
power up (C13: from Anglo-Norman poer, from Vulgar Latin potere (unattested), from Latin posse to be able)
air power
n the strength of a nation's air force
atomic power
n another name for →
nuclear power
auxiliary power unit
n an additional engine fitted to an aircraft to operate when the main engines are not in use
balance of power
n
1 the distribution of power among countries so that no one nation can seriously threaten the fundamental interests of another
2 any similar distribution of power or influence
Black Power
n a social, economic, and political movement of Black people, esp. in the U.S., to obtain equality with Whites
fire power
n (Military)
1 the amount of fire that may be delivered by a unit or weapon
2 the capability of delivering fire
flower power
n
Informal a youth cult of the late 1960s advocating peace and love, using the flower as a symbol; associated with drug-taking. Its adherents were known as flower children or flower people
geothermal power
n power generated using steam produced by heat emanating from the molten core of the earth
Great Power
n a nation that has exceptional political influence, resources, and military strength
motive power
n
1 any source of energy used to produce motion
2 the means of supplying power to an engine, vehicle, etc.
nuclear power
n power, esp. electrical or motive, produced by a nuclear reactor, (Also called)
atomic power
power amplifier
n (Electronics) an amplifier that is usually the final amplification stage in a device and is designed to give the required power output
power cut
n a temporary interruption or reduction in the supply of electrical power to a particular area, (Sometimes shortened to)
cut
power dive
n
1 a steep dive by an aircraft with its engines at high power
vb
♦
power-dive
2 to cause (an aircraft) to perform a power dive or (of an aircraft) to perform a power dive
power down
vb tr, adv to shut down (a computer system) in a methodical way, concluding by switching the power off
power dressing
n a style of dressing in severely tailored suits, adopted by some women executives to project an image of efficiency
power drill
n a hand tool with a rotating chuck driven by an electric motor and designed to take an assortment of tools for drilling, grinding, polishing, etc.
power factor
n (in an electrical circuit) the ratio of the power dissipated to the product of the input volts times amps
power line
n a set of conductors used to transmit and distribute electrical energy, (Sometimes shortened to)
line
power lunch
n a high-powered business meeting conducted over lunch
power of appointment
n (Property law) authority to appoint persons either from a particular class (special power) or selected by the donee of the power (general power) to take an estate or interest in property
power of attorney
n
1 legal authority to act for another person in certain specified matters
2 the document conferring such authority, (Also called)
letter of attorney
power pack
n a device for converting the current from a supply into direct or alternating current at the voltage required by a particular electrical or electronic device
power plant
n
1 the complex, including machinery, associated equipment, and the structure housing it, that is used in the generation of power, esp. electrical power
2 the equipment supplying power to a particular machine or for a particular operation or process
power point
n
1 an electrical socket mounted on or recessed into a wall
2 such a socket, esp. one installed before the introduction of 13 ampere ring mains, that is designed to provide a current of up to 15 amperes for supplying heaters, etc., rather than lights
power politics
n functioning as sing (in international affairs) the threat or use of force as an instrument of national policy
power series
n a mathematical series whose terms contain ascending positive integral powers of a variable, such as a0 + a1x + a2x2 +...
power set
n (Maths, logic) a set the elements of which are all the subsets of a given set
power-sharing
n a political arrangement in which opposing groups in a society participate in government
power station
n an electrical generating station
power steering
n a form of steering used on vehicles, where the torque applied to the steering wheel is augmented by engine power, (Also called)
power-assisted steering
power structure
n
1 the structure or distribution of power and authority in a community
2 the people and groups who are part of such a structure
power tool
n a tool powered by electricity
power up
vb tr, adv to switch on the power to (a computer system)
resolving power
n
1 (Also called)
resolution (Physics)
a the ability of a microscope, telescope, or other optical instrument to produce separate images of closely placed objects
b the ability of a spectrometer to separate two adjacent peaks in a spectrum
2 (Photog) the ability of an emulsion to show up fine detail in an image
sea power
n
1 a nation that possesses great naval strength
2 the naval strength of a country or nation
solar power
n heat radiation from the sun converted into electrical power
staying power
n endurance; stamina
stopping power
n (Physics) a measure of the effect a substance has on the kinetic energy of a particle passing through it
tidal power
n the use of the rise and fall of tides involving very large volumes of water at low heads to generate electric power
water power
n
1 the power latent in a dynamic or static head of water as used to drive machinery, esp. for generating electricity
2 a source of such power, such as a drop in the level of a river, etc.
3 the right to the use of water for such a purpose, as possessed by a water mill
wave power
n power extracted from the motion of sea waves at the coast
wind power
n power produced from windmills and wind turbines
world power
n a state that possesses sufficient power to influence events throughout the world
