Chapter 1192

Pow"er , n. [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 .] 1. 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 . "One next himself in power , and next in crime."

Milton.

2. 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. "The power of fancy."

Shak.

3. Capacity of undergoing or suffering; fitness to be acted upon; susceptibility; -- called also passive power ; as, great power of endurance .

Power , then, is active and passive; faculty is active power or capacity; capacity is passive power . Sir W. Hamilton.

4. The exercise of a faculty; the employment of strength; the exercise of any kind of control; influence; dominion; sway; command; government.

Power is no blessing in itself but when it is employed to protect the innocent. Swift.

5. 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. "The powers of darkness."

Milton.

And the powers of the heavens shall be shaken. Matt. xxiv. 29.

6. A military or naval force; an army or navy; a great host.

Spenser.

Never such a power . . . Was levied in the body of a land. Shak.

<page="1123"> Page 1123

7. A large quantity; a great number; as, a power o<?/ good things . [Colloq.]

Richardson.

8. (Mech.) (a) 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 .

&hand; The English unit of power used most commonly is the horse power . See Horse power .

(b) A mechanical agent; that from which useful mechanical energy is derived; as, water power ; steam power ; hand power , etc. (c) 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 .

&hand; This use in mechanics, of power as a synonym for force , is improper and is becoming obsolete.

(d) A machine acted upon by an animal, and serving as a motor to drive other machinery; as, a dog power .

&hand; Power is used adjectively, denoting, driven, or adapted to be driven, by machinery, and not actuated directly by the hand or foot; as, a power lathe; a power loom; a power press.

9. (Math.) 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 .

10. (<?/) (Metaph.) 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 .

I. Watts.

The guiltiness of my mind, the sudden surprise of my powers , drove the grossness . . . into a received belief. Shak.

11. (Optics) 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.

12. (Law) An authority enabling a person to dispose of an interest vested either in himself or in another person; ownership by appointment.

Wharton.

13. Hence, vested authority to act in a given case; as, the business was referred to a committee with power .

&hand; Power may be predicated of inanimate agents, like the winds and waves, electricity and magnetism, gravitation, etc., or of animal and intelligent beings; and when predicated of these beings, it may indicate physical, mental, or moral ability or capacity.

Mechanical powers . See under Mechanical . -- Power loom , &or; Power press . See Def. 8 (d) , note. -- Power of attorney . See under Attorney . -- Power of a point (relative to a given curve) (Geom.) , the result of substituting the co\'94rdinates of any point in that expression which being put equal to zero forms the equation of the curve; as, x 2 + y 2 - 100 is the power of the point x, y , relative to the circle x 2 + y 2 - 100 = 0 .

Powerable <Xpage=1123>

Pow"er*a*ble (?) , a. 1. Capable of being effected or accomplished by the application of power; possible. [R.]

J. Young.

2. Capable of exerting power; powerful.

Camden.

Powerful <Xpage=1123>

Pow"er*ful (?) , a. 1. Full of power; capable of producing great effects of any kind; potent; mighty; efficacious; intense; as, a powerful man or beast; a powerful engine; a powerful argument; a powerful light; a powerful vessel.

The powerful grace that lies In herbs, plants, stones, and their true qualities. Shak.

2. (Mining) Large; capacious; -- said of veins of ore.

Syn. -- Mighty; strong; potent; forcible; efficacious; energetic; intense.

-- Pow"er*ful*ly , adv. -- Pow"er*ful*ness , n.

Powerless <Xpage=1123>

Pow"er*less , a. Destitute of power, force, or energy; weak; impotent; not able to produce any effect. -- Pow"er*less*ly , adv. -- Pow"er*less*ness , n.

Powldron <Xpage=1123>

Powl"dron (?) , n. [OF. espauleron , from espaule shoulder, F. \'82paule .] Same as Pauldron .

Powp <Xpage=1123>

Powp (?) , v. i. See Poop , v. i. [Obs.]

Chaucer.

Powter <Xpage=1123>

Pow"ter (?) , n. (Zo\'94l.) See Pouter .

Powpow <Xpage=1123>

Pow"pow` (?) , n. 1. A priest, or conjurer, among the North American Indians.

Be it sagamore, sachem, or powwow . Longfellow.

2. Conjuration attended with great noise and confusion, and often with feasting, dancing, etc., performed by Indians for the cure of diseases, to procure success in hunting or in war, and for other purposes.

3. Hence: Any assembly characterized by noise and confusion; a noisy frolic or gathering. [Colloq. U. S.]

<-- 4. Any meeting assembled to discuss an issue; a parley. -->

Powwow <Xpage=1123>

Pow"wow` , v. i. 1. To use conjuration, with noise and confusion, for the cure of disease, etc., as among the North American Indians.

2. Hence: To hold a noisy, disorderly meeting. [Colloq. U. S.]

<-- 4. To hold a meeting to discuss an issue. -->

Pox <Xpage=1123>

Pox (?) , n. [For pocks , OE. pokkes . See Pock . It is plural in form but is used as a singular.] (Med.) Strictly, a disease by pustules or eruptions of any kind, but chiefly or wholly restricted to three or four diseases, -- the smallpox, the chicken pox, and the vaccine and the venereal diseases.

&hand; Pox , when used without an epithet, as in imprecations, formerly signified smallpox ; but it now signifies syphilis .

Pox <Xpage=1123>

Pox , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Poxed (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Poxing .] To infect with the pox, or syphilis.

Poy <Xpage=1123>

Poy (?) , n. [OF. apui , apoi , a support, prop., staff, F. appui , fr. OF. apuier , apoier , to support, F. appuyer , fr. \'85 to (L. ad ) + OF. pui , poi , a rising ground, hill, L. podium . See Podium , Pew .] 1. A support; -- used in composition; as, tea poy .

2. A ropedancer's balancing pole.

Johnson.

3. A long boat hook by which barges are propelled against the stream. [Prov. Eng.]

Halliwell.

Poynado <Xpage=1123>

Poy*na"do (?) , n. A poniard. [Obs.]

Lyly.

Poynd, v., Poynder <Xpage=1123>

Poynd (?) , v. , Poynd"er (<?/) , n. See Poind , Poinder .

Poy nette <Xpage=1123>

Poy nette" (?) , n. [Cf. Point .] A bodkin. [Obs.]

Poyntel <Xpage=1123>

Poyn"tel (?) , n. [See Pointal .] (Arch.) Paving or flooring made of small squares or lozenges set diagonally. [Formerly written pointal .]

Poyou <Xpage=1123>

Poy"ou (?) , n. (Zo\'94l.) A South American armadillo ( Dasypus sexcinctus ). Called also sixbanded armadillo .

Poze <Xpage=1123>

Poze (?) , v. t. See 5th Pose .

Pozzuolana, Pozzolana <Xpage=1123>

Poz`zu*o*la"na (?) , Poz`zo*la"*na (?) , n. [It.] Volcanic ashes from Pozzuoli, in Italy, used in the manufacture of a kind of mortar which hardens under water.

Praam <Xpage=1123>

Praam (?) , n. [D. praam ; cf. G. prahm , F. prame ; all of Slavonic origin, from a word akin to E. fare . See Fare .] (Naut.) A flat-bottomed boat or lighter, -- used in Holland and the Baltic, and sometimes armed in case of war. [Written also pram , and prame .]

Practic <Xpage=1123>

Prac"tic (?) , a. [See Practical .] 1. Practical.

2. Artful; deceitful; skillful. [Obs.] "Cunning sleights and practick knavery."

Spenser.

Practicability <Xpage=1123>

Prac"ti*ca*bil"i*ty (?) , n. The quality or state of being practicable; practicableness; feasibility. "The practicability of such a project."

Stewart.

Practicable <Xpage=1123>

Prac"ti*ca*ble (?) , a. [LL. practicare to act, transact, fr. L. practicus active, Gr. <?/: cf. F. practicable , pratiquer to practice. See Practical .] 1. That may be practiced or performed; capable of being done or accomplished with available means or resources; feasible; as, a practicable method; a practicable aim; a practicable good.

2. Capable of being used; passable; as, a practicable weapon; a practicable road.

Practicable breach (Mil.) , a breach which admits of approach and entrance by an assailing party.

Syn. -- Possible; feasible. -- Practicable , Possible . A thing may be possible , i. e., not forbidden by any law of nature, and yet may not now be practicable for want of the means requisite to its performance.

-- Prac"ti*ca*ble*ness , n. -- Prac"ti*ca*bly , adv.

Practical <Xpage=1123>

Prac"ti*cal (?) , a. [L. practicus active, Gr. <?/ fit for doing or performing, practical, active, fr. <?/ to do, work, effect: cf. F. pratique , formerly also practique . Cf. Pragmatic , Practice .] 1. Of or pertaining to practice or action.

2. Capable of being turned to use or account; useful, in distinction from ideal or theoretical ; as, practical chemistry . "Man's practical understanding." South . "For all practical purposes." Macaulay .

3. Evincing practice or skill; capable of applying knowledge to some useful end; as, a practical man; a practical mind.

4. Derived from practice; as, practical skill .

Practical joke , a joke put in practice; a joke the fun of which consists in something done, in distinction from something said; esp., a trick played upon a person.

Practicality <Xpage=1123>

Prac`ti*cal"i*ty (?) , n. The quality or state of being practical; practicalness.

Practically <Xpage=1123>

Prac"ti*cal*ly (?) , adv. 1. In a practical way; not theoretically; really; as, to look at things practically ; practically worthless.

2. By means of practice or use; by experience or experiment; as, practically wise or skillful; practically acquainted with a subject.

3. In practice or use; as, a medicine practically safe; theoretically wrong, but practically right.

<-- 4. Almost. -->

Practicalness <Xpage=1123>

Prac"ti*cal*ness , n. Same as Practicality .

Practicalize <Xpage=1123>

Prac"ti*cal*ize (?) , v. t. To render practical. [R.] " Practicalizing influences."

J. S. Mill.

Practice <Xpage=1123>

Prac"tice (?) , n. [OE. praktike , practique , F. pratique , formerly also, practique , LL. practica , fr. Gr. <?/, fr. <?/ practical. See Practical , and cf. Pratique , Pretty .] 1. Frequently repeated or customary action; habitual performance; a succession of acts of a similar kind; usage; habit; custom; as, the practice of rising early; the practice of making regular entries of accounts; the practice of daily exercise. <-- also commonly practise -->

A heart . . . exercised with covetous practices . 2 Pet. ii. 14.

2. Customary or constant use; state of being used.

Obsolete words may be revived when they are more sounding or more significant than those in practice . Dryden.

3. Skill or dexterity acquired by use; expertness. [R.] "His nice fence and his active practice ."

Shak.

4. Actual performance; application of knowledge; -- opposed to theory .

There are two functions of the soul, -- contemplation and practice . South.

There is a distinction, but no opposition, between theory and practice ; each, to a certain extent, supposes the other; theory is dependent on practice ; practice must have preceded theory. Sir W. Hamilton.

5. Systematic exercise for instruction or discipline; as, the troops are called out for practice ; she neglected practice in music. <-- practice makes perfect. MW10 2a. -->

6. Application of science to the wants of men; the exercise of any profession; professional business; as, the practice of medicine or law; a large or lucrative practice .

Practice is exercise of an art, or the application of a science in life, which application is itself an art. Sir W. Hamilton.

7. Skillful or artful management; dexterity in contrivance or the use of means; art; stratagem; artifice; plot; -- usually in a bad sense. [Obs.]

Bacon.

He sought to have that by practice which he could not by prayer. Sir P. Sidney.

8. (Math.) A easy and concise method of applying the rules of arithmetic to questions which occur in trade and business.

9. (Law) The form, manner, and order of conducting and carrying on suits and prosecutions through their various stages, according to the principles of law and the rules laid down by the courts.

Bouvier.

Syn. -- Custom; usage; habit; manner.

Practice <Xpage=1123>

Prac"tice (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Practiced (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Practicing (?) .] [Often written practise , practised , practising .] 1. To do or perform frequently, customarily, or habitually; to make a practice of; as, to practice gaming . "Incline not my heart . . . practice wicked works." <-- also commonly practise -->

Ps. cxli. 4.

2. To exercise, or follow, as a profession, trade, art, etc., as, to practice law or medicine . <-- MW10 1c. -->

2. To exercise one's self in, for instruction or improvement, or to acquire discipline or dexterity; as, to practice gunnery; to practice music. <-- MW10 2a -->

4. To put into practice; to carry out; to act upon; to commit; to execute; to do. "Aught but Talbot's shadow whereon to practice your severity."

Shak.

As this advice ye practice or neglect. Pope.

5. To make use of; to employ. [Obs.]

In malice to this good knight's wife, I practiced Ubaldo and Ricardo to corrupt her. Massinger.

6. To teach or accustom by practice; to train.

In church they are taught to love God; after church they are practiced to love their neighbor. Landor.

Practice <Xpage=1123>

Prac"tice , v. i. [Often written practise .] 1. To perform certain acts frequently or customarily, either for instruction, profit, or amusement; as, to practice with the broadsword or with the rifle; to practice on the piano. <-- also commonly practise -->

2. To learn by practice; to form a habit.

They shall practice how to live secure. Milton.

Practice first over yourself to reign. Waller.

3. To try artifices or stratagems.

He will practice against thee by poison. Shak.

4. To apply theoretical science or knowledge, esp. by way of experiment; to exercise or pursue an employment or profession, esp. that of medicine or of law.

[I am] little inclined to practice on others, and as little that others should practice on me. Sir W. Temple.

Practiced <Xpage=1123>

Prac"ticed (?) , a. [Often written practised .] 1. Experienced; expert; skilled; as, a practiced marksman . "A practiced picklock."

Ld. Lytton.

2. Used habitually; learned by practice.

Practicer <Xpage=1123>

Prac"ti*cer (?) , n. [Often written practiser .] 1. One who practices, or puts in practice; one who customarily performs certain acts.

South.

2. One who exercises a profession; a practitioner.

3. One who uses art or stratagem. [Obs.]

B. Jonson.

Practician <Xpage=1123>

Prac*ti"cian (?) , n. [F. praticien , OF. also practicien .] One who is acquainted with, or skilled in, anything by practice; a practitioner.

Practick <Xpage=1123>

Prac"tick (?) , n. Practice. [Obs.]

Chaucer.

Practisant <Xpage=1123>

Prac"ti*sant (?) , n. An agent or confederate in treachery. [Obs.]

Shak.

Practise <Xpage=1123>

Prac"tise (?) , v. t. & i. See Practice .

&hand; The analogy of the English language requires that the noun and verb which are pronounced alike should agree in spelling. Thus we have notice (n. & v.), noticed , noticing , noticer ; poultice (n. & v.); apprentice (n. & v.); office (n. & v.), officer (n.); lattice (n.), latticed (a.); benefice (n.), beneficed (a.), etc. Cf. sacrifice (<?/; n. & v.), surmise (<?/; n. & v.), promise (<?/; n. & v.); compromise (<?/; n. & v.), etc. Contrast advice (<?/; n.), and advise (<?/); device (<?/), and devise (<?/), etc.

Practisour <Xpage=1123>