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Monday, October 14th, 2024
the Week of Proper 23 / Ordinary 28
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Power

King James Dictionary

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POW'ER, n. The Latin has posse, possum, potes, potentia. The primary sense of the verb is to strain, to exert force.

1. In a philosophical sense, the faculty of doing or performing any thing the faculty of moving or of producing a change in something ability or strength. A man raises his hand by his own power, or by power moves another body. The exertion of power proceeds from the will, and in strictness, no being destitute of will or intelligence, can exert power. Power in man is active or speculative. Active power is that which moves the body speculative power is that by which we see, judge, remember, or in general, by which we think.

Power may exist without exertion. We have power to speak when we are silent.

Power has been distinguished also into active and passive,the power of doing or moving, and the power of receiving impressions or of suffering. In strictness, passive power is an absurdity in terms. To say that gold has a power to be melted,is improper language,yet for want of a more appropriate word, power is often used in a passive sense, and is considered as two-fold viz.as able to make or able to receive any change.

2. Force animal strength as the power of the arm, exerted in lifting, throwing or holding.
3. Force strength energy as the power of the mind, of the imagination, of the fancy. He has not powers of genius adequate to the work.
4. Faculty of the mind, as manifested by a particular mode of operation as the power of thinking, comparing and judging the reasoning powers.
5. Ability, natural or moral. We say, a man has the power of doing good his property gives him the power of relieving the distressed or he has the power to persuade others to do good or it is not in his power to pay his debts. The moral power of man is also his power of judging or discerning in moral subjects.
6. In mechanics, that which produces motion or force, or which may be applied to produce it. Thus the inclined plane is called a mechanical power, as it produces motion, although this in reality depends on gravity. The wheel and axle, and the lever, are mechanical powers, as they may be applied to produce force. These powers are also called forces, and they are of two kinds, moving power, and sustaining power.
7. Force. The great power of the screw is of extensive use in compression. The power of steam is immense.
8. That quality in any natural body which produces a change or makes an impression on another body as the power of medicine the power of heat the power of sound.
9. Force strength momentum as the power of the wind, which propels a ship or overturns a building.
10. Influence that which may move the mind as the power of arguments or of persuasion.
11. Command the right of governing, or actual government dominion rule, sway authority. A large portion of Asia is under the power of the Russian emperor. The power of the British monarch is limited by law. The powers of government are legislative, executive, judicial, and ministerial.

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

Under this sense may be comprehended political, ecclesiastical, and military power.

12. A sovereign, whether emperor, king or governing prince or the legislature of a state as the powers of Europe the great powers the smaller powers. In this sense, the state or nation governed seems to be included in the word power. Great Britain is a great naval power.
13. One invested with authority a ruler a magistrate. Romans 13
14. Divinity a celestial or invisible being or agent supposed to have dominion over some part of creation as celestial powers the powers of darkness.
15. That which has physical power an army a navy a host a military force.

Never such a power--

Was levied in the body of a land.

16. Legal authority warrant as a power of attorney an agent invested with ample power. The envoy has full powers to negotiate a treaty.
17. In arithmetic and algebra, the product arising from the multiplication of a number or quantity into itself as, a cube is the third power the biquadrate is the fourth power.
18. In Scripture, right privilege. John 1 . 1 Corinthians 9
19. Angels, good or bad. Colossians 1 . Ephesians 6 .
20. Violence, force compulsion. Ezekiel 4 .
21. Christ is called the power of God, as through him and his gospel, God displays his power and authority in ransoming and saving sinners. 1 Corinthians 1
22. The powers of heaven may denote the celestial luminaries. Matthew 24
23. Satan is said to have the power of death, as he introduced sin, the cause of death, temporal and eternal, and torments men with the feat of death and future misery.
24. In vulgar language, a large quantity a great number as a power of good things. This is, I believe, obsolete, even among our common people.

Power of attorney, authority given to a person to act for another.

Bibliography Information
Entry for 'Power'. King James Dictionary. https://www.studylight.org/​dictionaries/​eng/​kjd/​p/power.html.
 
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