Tra từ power - Từ điển Oxford Advanced Learner 8th

power [power powers powered powering] noun, verb BrE [ˈpaʊə(r)] NAmE [ˈpaʊər]
noun

CONTROL
1. uncountable the ability to control people or things
•~ (over sb/sth) The aim is to give people more power over their own lives.
•~ (to do sth) He has the power to make things very unpleasant for us.
•to have sb in your power (= to be able to do what you like with sb)
2. uncountable political control of a country or an area
•to take/seize/lose power
• The present regime has been in power for two years.
• The party came to power at the last election.
•They are hoping to return to power.
•a power struggle between rival factions within the party
see also ↑balance of power

ABILITY
3. uncountable (in people)the ability or opportunity to do sth
• It is not within my power (= I am unable or not in a position) to help you.
• I will do everything in my power to help you.
4. uncountable (also powersplural)a particular ability of the body or mind
• He had lost the power of speech.
• The drug may affect your powers of concentration.
•He had to use all his powers of persuasion.
5. powersplural all the abilities of a person's body or mind
• At 26, he is at the height of his powers and ranked fourth in the world.

AUTHORITY
6. uncountable, countable, usually plural the right or authority of a person or group to do sth
•~ (to do sth) The Secretary of State has the power to approve the proposals.
• The powers of the police must be clearly defined.
•~ (of sth) The president has the power of veto over all new legislation.
•Police in riot gear used their powers under the Public Order Act to move on 300 protesters.
see also ↑power of attorney

COUNTRY
7. countable a country with a lot of influence in world affairs, or with great military strength
•world powers
•an allied/enemy power
see also ↑superpower

INFLUENCE
8. uncountable (in compounds)strength or influence in a particular area of activity
•economic power
•air/sea power (= military strength in the air/ at sea)
•purchasing power
• Their efforts to exercise collective bargaining power against multinational companies have failed.
9. uncountable the influence of a particular thing or group within society
•the power of the media
•parent power

ENERGY
10. uncountable the strength or energy contained in sth
• The ship was helpless against the power of the storm.
• It was a performance of great power.
•They were impressed by the power of her arguments.
see also ↑firepower, ↑staying power
11. uncountable physical strength used in action; physical strength that sb possesses and might use
•He hit the ball with as much power as he could.
•the sheer physical power of the man
12. uncountable energy that can be collected and used to operate a machine, to make electricity, etc
•nuclear/wind/solar power
•engine power
see also ↑horsepower

ELECTRICITY
13. uncountable the public supply of electricity
• They've switched off the power.
•a power failure

MATHEMATICS
14. countable, usually singular the number of times that an amount is to be multiplied by itself
•4 to the power of 3 is 4 3 (= 4 × 4 × 4 = 64).

OF LENS
15. uncountable the amount by which a ↑lens can make objects appear larger
•the power of a microscope/telescope

GOOD/EVIL SPIRIT
16. countable a good or evil spirit that controls the lives of others
•the powers of darkness (= the forces of evil)
• She believed in the existence of a benevolent power.
more at The corridors of power at ↑corridor, sweep (sb) to power at ↑sweep _v.

Word Origin:
Middle English: from Anglo-Norman French poeir, from an alteration of Latin posse ‘be able’.

Thesaurus:
power noun
1. U
•He seized power in a military coup.
control • • authority • • command • • rule • • office • • hold • |formal jurisdiction •
power/control/authority/command/rule/a hold/jurisdiction over sb/sth
in power/control/authority/command/office
absolute/complete power/control/authority/command/rule
have power/control/authority/command/a hold over sb/jurisdiction
take power/control/command/office
2. U, C, usually pl.
•The president has the power of veto over all legislation.
authority • • right • • privilege • |especially BrE, formal entitlement •
the power/authority/right/entitlement to do sth
have a/an/the power/authority/right/privilege/entitlement
use/exercise your powers/authority/right/privilege/entitlement
Power or authority? (to have) the authority to do sth usually refers to what sb is allowed to do within a company or other organization. The power to do sth or special powers often refer to what sb is allowed to do within the law or government of a country:
•Only the manager has the authority to sign cheques.
✗ Only the manager has the power to sign cheques.:
•The powers of the police must be clearly defined.
✗ The authority of the police must be clearly defined.
3. U (used in compounds)
•the country's technological and military power
influence • • weight • |formal leverage •
considerable/political power/influence/weight/leverage
economic/financial power/weight/leverage
have/use/exercise/exert (your) power/influence/leverage
4. U
•Wind power drives the machinery.
energy •
electrical/nuclear/atomic/solar/wind/tidal power/energy
generate/produce/provide/supply/use/harness power/energy
a power/an energy supply
a source of power/energy
Power or energy? Energy is the source of power: the fuel, the light and heat from the sun or a nuclear reaction, etc. Power is energy that has been collected and used to produce electricity, etc. The energy supply is all the power that has not yet been used up; the power supply is the continuous flow of power to where it is being used
•The world's energy supply is heading for crisis.
• interruptions in the power supply
5. U
•the sheer physical power of the man
strength • • force • |formal literary might •
physical power/strength/force
use your power/your strength/force/your might

Collocations:
Politics
Power
create/form/be the leader of a political party
gain/take/win/lose/regain control of Congress
start/spark/lead/be on the brink of a revolution
be engaged/locked in an internal power struggle
lead/form a rival/breakaway faction
seize/take control of the government/power
bring down/overthrow/topple the government/president/regime
abolish/overthrow/restore the monarchy
establish/install a military dictatorship/a stable government
be forced/removed/driven from office/power
resign/step down as party leader/an MP/president/prime minister
enter/retire from/return to political life
Political debate
spark/provoke a heated/hot/intense/lively debate
engage in/participate in/contribute to (the) political/public debate (on/over sth)
get involved in/feel excluded from the political process
launch/start/lead/spearhead a campaign/movement
join/be linked with the peace/anti-war/feminist/civil rights movement
criticize/speak out against/challenge/support the government
lobby/put pressure on the government (to do sth)
come under fire/pressure from opposition parties
Policy
call for/demand/propose/push for/advocate democratic/political/land reform(s)
formulate/implement domestic economic policy
change/influence/shape/have an impact on government/economic/public policy
be consistent with/be in line with/go against/be opposed to government policy
reform/restructure/modernize the tax system
privatize/improve/deliver/make cuts in public services
invest (heavily) in/spend sth on schools/education/public services/(the) infrastructure
nationalize the banks/the oil industry
promise/propose/deliver/give ($80 billion in/significant/substantial/massive) tax cuts
a/the budget is approved/ (especially NAmE) passed by parliament/congress
Making laws
have a majority in/have seats in Parliament/Congress/the Senate
propose/sponsor a bill/legislation/a resolution
introduce/bring in/draw up/draft/adopt/pass a bill/a law/legislation/measures
amend/repeal an act/a law/legislation
veto/vote against/oppose a bill/legislation/a measure/a proposal/a resolution
get/require/be decided by a majority vote
more collocations at ↑economy, ↑voting

Example Bank:
•Don't underestimate my powers of persuasion.
•Having served in four governments, he has the greatest staying power of any politician today.
•He did everything in his power to find us somewhere to live.
•He sits on the board but has no executive power.
•He wants to change the world through the power of prayer.
•I lost my power of speech for a while after the accident.
•I'm afraid it's not within my power to help you.
•In 1946 Dalí was at the peak of his powers.
•People say that the First Lady is the power behind the throne.
•Power tools make many jobs so much easier.
•Religion is rapidly losing its power to shape our behaviour.
•She exudes star power whenever she's on screen.
•She was in the elevator when the power went off.
•Some states delegate police power to municipalities.
•The Crown prince assumed power in his father's place.
•The company was too small to hold two such power-hungry men.
•The court has no power to order a psychiatric examination of the child's parents.
•The emperor held no real power.
•The generator supplies power for lighting,
•The government has limited legal powers over television.
•The new law delegates many of these powers to school governors.
•The party's power base is in the industrial north of the country.
•The plane was still climbing at full power.
•The real legislative power still rests with the lower chamber.
•The transmitter is operating on reduced power.
•The war brought about a shift in the balance of power.
•They believe he has supernatural powers.
•They fell from power in 1992.
•They held power for 18 years.
•They held us in their power.
•They use these streams to generate power for the mill.
•This wheel provides the power to the cutting machine.
•When did this government come to power?
•Who will get the upper hand in this power struggle?
•Wind power is used to drive the machinery.
•a task still beyond any computer's power
•a tribute to his powers as a teacher
•an increase in Britain's air power
•belief in a higher power
•certain powers that were granted to the government
•her powers of observation
•major European powers such as France and Germany
•supplying power for the grinding process
•the destructive power of a hurricane
•the father's position of power and influence in the home
•the healing power of sleep
•the party in power
•the raw power of their music
•the transfer of power from a military to a civilian government
•weapons with enormous fire power
•Air power decided the battle in favour of the Allies.
•He has the power to make life very difficult for us.
•He seized power in a military coup.
•He talked about the enormous power of the mass media.
•He transformed a backward country into a world power.
•Increased trade union bargaining power led to higher wage settlements.
•It is not within my power to help you.
•It was the beginning of a power struggle between rival factions within the party.
•She was determined to go through with her plan, now that she had him in her power.
•Sufferers of the disease have failing mental powers and poor memories.
•The Emperor had absolute power over all his subjects.
•The cost of solar power needs to fall before it makes an impact on the energy market.
•The country's dominance was assured by its technological and military power.
•The government promised greater opportunities for parent power.
•The influence of the former colonial power is still very much in evidence.
•There seems to have been a power failure.
•They've switched off the power.
•Those aged over 55 now have a purchasing power of more than £30 billion annually.
•To go higher the pilot increases the engine power.
•Values are distorted by the power of advertising.
•electrical/nuclear/atomic/solar/wind/tidal energy/power
•interruptions in the power supply
•to generate/produce/provide/supply/use/harness energy/power
Idioms: ↑do somebody a power of good ▪ ↑more power to somebody's elbow ▪ ↑power behind the throne ▪ ↑powers that be
Derived: ↑power down ▪ ↑power something down ▪ ↑power something up

verb

SUPPLY ENERGY
1. transitive, usually passive ~ sth to supply a machine or vehicle with the energy that makes it work
•The aircraft is powered by a jet engine.
•The plant generates enough energy to power a town of 6 000 people.
•The mill's machinery is powered by waterwheels.

MOVE QUICKLY
2. intransitive, transitive to move or move sth very quickly and with great power in a particular direction
•+ adv./prep. He powered through the water.
•~ sth + adv./prep. She powered her way into the lead.
•He powered his header past the goalie.
Verb forms:

Word Origin:
Middle English: from Anglo-Norman French poeir, from an alteration of Latin posse ‘be able’.