What does power mean?

Definitions for power
ˈpaʊ ərpow·er

Here are all the possible meanings and translations of the word power.

Princeton's WordNet(3.18 / 11 votes)Rate this definition:

power, powerfulness(noun)
possession of controlling influence
"the deterrent power of nuclear weapons"; "the power of his love saved her"; "his powerfulness was concealed by a gentle facade"
power(noun)
(physics) the rate of doing work; measured in watts (= joules/second)
ability, power(noun)
possession of the qualities (especially mental qualities) required to do something or get something done
"danger heightened his powers of discrimination"
office, power(noun)
(of a government or government official) holding an office means being in power
"being in office already gives a candidate a great advantage"; "during his first year in office"; "during his first year in power"; "the power of the president"
power, force(noun)
one possessing or exercising power or influence or authority
"the mysterious presence of an evil power"; "may the force be with you"; "the forces of evil"
exponent, power, index(noun)
a mathematical notation indicating the number of times a quantity is multiplied by itself
might, mightiness, power(noun)
physical strength
world power, major power, great power, power, superpower(noun)
a state powerful enough to influence events throughout the world
baron, big businessman, business leader, king, magnate, mogul, power, top executive, tycoon(verb)
a very wealthy or powerful businessman
"an oil baron"
power(verb)
supply the force or power for the functioning of
"The gasoline powers the engines"

Wiktionary(3.00 / 2 votes)Rate this definition:

power(Noun)
physical force or strength.
He needed a lot of power to hit the ball out of the stadium.
Etymology: From power.
power(Noun)
control, particularly legal or political (jurisdiction)
2005, Columbia Law Review, April
Etymology: From power.
power(Noun)
electricity or a supply of electricity.
After the pylons collapsed, this town was without power for a few days.
Etymology: From power.
power(Noun)
A measure of the rate of doing work or transferring energy.
Etymology: From power.
power(Noun)
A rate to magnify an optical image by a lens or mirror.
We need a microscope with higher power.
Etymology: From power.
power(Noun)
In Christian angelology, the fourth level of angels, ranked above archangels and below principalities
Etymology: From power.
power(Noun)
A product of equal factors. Notation and usage: x, 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.
Etymology: From power.
power(Noun)
Cardinality.
Etymology: From power.
power(Verb)
To provide power for (a mechanical or electronic device).
This CD player is powered by batteries.
Etymology: From power.
power(Verb)
To hit or kick something forcefully.
Etymology: From power.
power(Noun)
The probability that a statistical test will reject the null hypothesis when the alternative hypothesis is true.
Etymology: From power.
Power(Noun)
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.
Etymology: From power.

Webster Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

Power(noun)
same as Poor, the fish
Etymology: [OE. pouer, poer, OF. poeir, pooir, F. pouvoir, n. & v., fr. LL. potere, for L. posse, potesse, to be able, to have power. See Possible, Potent, and cf. Posse comitatus.]
Power(noun)
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
Etymology: [OE. pouer, poer, OF. poeir, pooir, F. pouvoir, n. & v., fr. LL. potere, for L. posse, potesse, to be able, to have power. See Possible, Potent, and cf. Posse comitatus.]
Power(noun)
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
Etymology: [OE. pouer, poer, OF. poeir, pooir, F. pouvoir, n. & v., fr. LL. potere, for L. posse, potesse, to be able, to have power. See Possible, Potent, and cf. Posse comitatus.]
Power(noun)
capacity of undergoing or suffering; fitness to be acted upon; susceptibility; -- called also passive power; as, great power of endurance
Etymology: [OE. pouer, poer, OF. poeir, pooir, F. pouvoir, n. & v., fr. LL. potere, for L. posse, potesse, to be able, to have power. See Possible, Potent, and cf. Posse comitatus.]
Power(noun)
the exercise of a faculty; the employment of strength; the exercise of any kind of control; influence; dominion; sway; command; government
Etymology: [OE. pouer, poer, OF. poeir, pooir, F. pouvoir, n. & v., fr. LL. potere, for L. posse, potesse, to be able, to have power. See Possible, Potent, and cf. Posse comitatus.]
Power(noun)
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
Etymology: [OE. pouer, poer, OF. poeir, pooir, F. pouvoir, n. & v., fr. LL. potere, for L. posse, potesse, to be able, to have power. See Possible, Potent, and cf. Posse comitatus.]
Power(noun)
a military or naval force; an army or navy; a great host
Etymology: [OE. pouer, poer, OF. poeir, pooir, F. pouvoir, n. & v., fr. LL. potere, for L. posse, potesse, to be able, to have power. See Possible, Potent, and cf. Posse comitatus.]
Power(noun)
a large quantity; a great number; as, a power o/ good things
Etymology: [OE. pouer, poer, OF. poeir, pooir, F. pouvoir, n. & v., fr. LL. potere, for L. posse, potesse, to be able, to have power. See Possible, Potent, and cf. Posse comitatus.]
Power(noun)
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
Etymology: [OE. pouer, poer, OF. poeir, pooir, F. pouvoir, n. & v., fr. LL. potere, for L. posse, potesse, to be able, to have power. See Possible, Potent, and cf. Posse comitatus.]
Power(noun)
a mechanical agent; that from which useful mechanical energy is derived; as, water power; steam power; hand power, etc
Etymology: [OE. pouer, poer, OF. poeir, pooir, F. pouvoir, n. & v., fr. LL. potere, for L. posse, potesse, to be able, to have power. See Possible, Potent, and cf. Posse comitatus.]
Power(noun)
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
Etymology: [OE. pouer, poer, OF. poeir, pooir, F. pouvoir, n. & v., fr. LL. potere, for L. posse, potesse, to be able, to have power. See Possible, Potent, and cf. Posse comitatus.]
Power(noun)
a machine acted upon by an animal, and serving as a motor to drive other machinery; as, a dog power
Etymology: [OE. pouer, poer, OF. poeir, pooir, F. pouvoir, n. & v., fr. LL. potere, for L. posse, potesse, to be able, to have power. See Possible, Potent, and cf. Posse comitatus.]
Power(noun)
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
Etymology: [OE. pouer, poer, OF. poeir, pooir, F. pouvoir, n. & v., fr. LL. potere, for L. posse, potesse, to be able, to have power. See Possible, Potent, and cf. Posse comitatus.]
Power(noun)
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
Etymology: [OE. pouer, poer, OF. poeir, pooir, F. pouvoir, n. & v., fr. LL. potere, for L. posse, potesse, to be able, to have power. See Possible, Potent, and cf. Posse comitatus.]
Power(noun)
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
Etymology: [OE. pouer, poer, OF. poeir, pooir, F. pouvoir, n. & v., fr. LL. potere, for L. posse, potesse, to be able, to have power. See Possible, Potent, and cf. Posse comitatus.]
Power(noun)
an authority enabling a person to dispose of an interest vested either in himself or in another person; ownership by appointment
Etymology: [OE. pouer, poer, OF. poeir, pooir, F. pouvoir, n. & v., fr. LL. potere, for L. posse, potesse, to be able, to have power. See Possible, Potent, and cf. Posse comitatus.]
Power(noun)
hence, vested authority to act in a given case; as, the business was referred to a committee with power
Etymology: [OE. pouer, poer, OF. poeir, pooir, F. pouvoir, n. & v., fr. LL. potere, for L. posse, potesse, to be able, to have power. See Possible, Potent, and cf. Posse comitatus.]

Freebase(4.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

Power
In physics, power is the rate at which energy is transferred, used, or transformed. The unit of power is the joule per second, known as the watt. For example, the rate at which a light bulb transforms electrical energy into heat and light is measured in watts—the more wattage, the more power, or equivalently the more electrical energy is used per unit time. Energy transfer can be used to do work, so power is also the rate at which this work is performed. The same amount of work is done when carrying a load up a flight of stairs whether the person carrying it walks or runs, but more power is expended during the running because the work is done in a shorter amount of time. The output power of an electric motor is the product of the torque the motor generates and the angular velocity of its output shaft. The power expended to move a vehicle is the product of the traction force of the wheels and the velocity of the vehicle. The integral of power over time defines the work done. Because this integral depends on the trajectory of the point of application of the force and torque, this calculation of work is said to be path dependent.

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(3.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

Power
pow′ėr, n. that in a person or a thing which enables them to act on other persons or things: strength: energy: faculty of the mind: any agency: moving force of anything: right to command: rule: authority: influence: ability: capacity of suffering: a ruler: a divinity: the result of the continued multiplication of a quantity by itself any given number of times: (optics) magnifying strength: (obs.) a great many.—adjs. Pow′ered, having power; Pow′erful, having great power: mighty: intense: forcible: efficacious.—adv. Pow′erfully.—ns. Pow′erfulness; Pow′er-house, a house where mechanical power (esp. electric) is generated.—adj. Pow′erless, without power: weak: impotent.—adv. Pow′erlessly.—ns. Pow′erlessness; Pow′er-loom, a loom worked by some mechanical power, as water, steam, &c.—Power of attorney (see Attorney); Power of sale, a clause in securities and wills empowering property referred to to be sold on certain conditions; Powers, or Great Powers (see Great).—Absolute power, power subject to no control by law; Civil power, power of governing a state; Mechanical powers (see Mechanical). [O. Fr. poer (Fr. pouvoir)—Low L. pot-ĕre, to be able.]

Dictionary of Nautical Terms(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

power
Mechanical force; in the steam-engine it is esteemed effective, expansive, or full. (See HORSE-POWER.)

Military Dictionary and Gazetteer(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

power
In military affairs as well as in all others, is knowledge—of human passions—of arms—of distance—of the skill and numbers of an enemy. To be in the power of an enemy, is to have taken up, injudiciously, such a position as to expose you to a defeat whenever the enemy may think proper to attack you.

Editors Contribution(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

power
Able to do, think or move.
They had the powers to learn and shift perception.
Submitted by MaryC on January 15, 2020
power
The ability for energy to change, transfer, transform, move or have usage.
Solar Power is such an effective and efficient form of power and it is free and clean too.
Submitted by MaryC on December 27, 2019
power
The ability or capacity to do.
Power is to be used so wisely in society.
Submitted by MaryC on December 27, 2019
power
The capacity of a system or machine to function.
The machine was capable of 1500 horse power.
Submitted by MaryC on December 27, 2019
power
The energy by which a system or machine functions or works.
The machine and lights worked from solar power.
Submitted by MaryC on December 27, 2019
power
The official capacity to use authority.
Power from a governmental perspective is vital for politicians to perform their duties.
Submitted by MaryC on December 27, 2019

British National Corpus

Spoken Corpus Frequency
Rank popularity for the word 'power' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #257
Written Corpus Frequency
Rank popularity for the word 'power' in Written Corpus Frequency: #652
Nouns Frequency
Rank popularity for the word 'power' in Nouns Frequency: #47

How to pronounce power?

Alex
US English
Daniel
British
Karen
Australian
Veena
Indian

How to say power in sign language?

Numerology

Chaldean Numerology
The numerical value of power in Chaldean Numerology is: 1
Pythagorean Numerology
The numerical value of power in Pythagorean Numerology is: 5

Examples of power in a Sentence

Peter Navarro:
My job at The White House now is to help marry the full force of the federal government with the full power of private enterprise to mobilize our industrial base and thereby quickly get what we need, most urgently Personal Protective Equipment such as masks and gloves and testing kit element like swabs, it's been enormously helpful that the President signed the DPA last week. We've seen a noticeable uptick in the intensity of that mobilization, and my office is using the DPA every day as quiet leverage to turbocharge the great outpouring of volunteer efforts from the business community.
Chief Executive Keith McLoughlin:
I was there. I was running the business, our assumption is that we would not have increase pricing power (if the GE deal goes forward).
Azeb Asnake:
We have sufficient resources to power a very large part of Africa.
Andrea Scholer, author and philosopher:
It is difficult for intellect, technology, and peace to coexist. Not because peace is static where the other two require constant stimulation. Peace can embrace change. It is because we live in a world where intellect and technology compete for power. And peace does not allow for inequality or competition.
AiR Atman in Ravi:
In ignorance does man Live and Die. His ego creates misery and makes him cry. He refuses to accept, keeps asking, Why? He never realizes the Power in the sky.