Antonyms for power
| Grammar : Noun |
| Spell : pou-er |
| Phonetic Transcription : ˈpaʊ ər |
Definition of power
Origin :- c.1300, "ability; ability to act or do; strength, vigor, might," especially in battle; "efficacy; control, mastery, lordship, dominion; legal power or authority; authorization; military force, an army," from Anglo-French pouair, Old French povoir, noun use of the infinitive, "to be able," earlier podir (9c.), from Vulgar Latin *potere, from Latin potis "powerful" (see potent).
- Whatever some hypocritical ministers of government may say about it, power is the greatest of all pleasures. It seems to me that only love can beat it, and love is a happy illness that can't be picked up as easily as a Ministry. [Stendhal "de l'Amour," 1822]
- Meaning "one who has power" is late 14c. Meaning "specific ability or capacity" is from early 15c. Meaning "a state or nation with regard to international authority or influence" [OED] is from 1726. Used for "a large number of" from 1660s. Meaning "energy available for work is from 1727. Sense of "electrical supply" is from 1896.
- Phrase the powers that be is from Rom. xiii:1. As a statement wishing good luck, more power to (someone) is recorded from 1842. A power play in ice hockey so called by 1940. Power failure is from 1911; power steering from 1921.
- noun ability, competence
- noun physical ability, capacity
- noun control, dominance
- If a servant complained of being abused, his master had no power to retain him.
- Extract from : « Philothea » by Lydia Maria Child
- But I have a secret dread of the character and power of Alcibiades.
- Extract from : « Philothea » by Lydia Maria Child
- Has this fearful pestilence no power to restrain the appetites and passions of the people?
- Extract from : « Philothea » by Lydia Maria Child
- Then I shall have to put it out of your power to carry out your threat.
- Extract from : « Brave and Bold » by Horatio Alger
- He was forced to admit that the girl still had power to trouble him.
- Extract from : « The Spenders » by Harry Leon Wilson
- Our peace with the power with whom we had been engaged had also been concluded.
- Extract from : « United States Presidents' Inaugural Speeches » by Various
- All others lay claim to power limited only by their own will.
- Extract from : « United States Presidents' Inaugural Speeches » by Various
- By whom, let us ask, had this Minister been brought into power?
- Extract from : « Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, No. 327 » by Various
- It alone has the power to provide revenues for the Government.
- Extract from : « United States Presidents' Inaugural Speeches » by Various
- It is a danger that lurks and hides in the sources and fountains of power in every state.
- Extract from : « United States Presidents' Inaugural Speeches » by Various
Synonyms for power
- applied force
- aptitude
- arm
- ascendancy
- authority
- authorization
- bent
- birthright
- brawn
- capability
- capacity
- clout
- command
- competency
- connection
- diadem
- direction
- domination
- dominion
- dynamism
- effectiveness
- efficacy
- endowment
- energy
- faculty
- force
- forcefulness
- function
- gift
- hegemony
- horsepower
- imperium
- influence
- inside track
- intensity
- jurisdiction
- law
- leadership
- license
- management
- mechanical energy
- might
- moxie
- muscle
- omnipotence
- paramountcy
- potency
- potential
- potentiality
- predominance
- prerogative
- prestige
- privilege
- puissance
- qualification
- regency
- right
- rule
- say-so
- sinew
- skill
- sovereignty
- steam
- strength
- strings
- superiority
- supremacy
- sway
- talent
- turn
- vigor
- vim
- virtue
- voltage
- warrant
- weight
- wire
Based on : Thesaurus.com - Gutenberg.org - Dictionary.com - Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019