Read along with the three podcasts, or open the full dictionary entry for Power for the definition, Arabic meaning, synonyms and example sentences.
Narrator: Today's word is "Power" — noun, pronounced /ˈpaʊə/, with the stress on "pow".
Narrator: Power is the ability to control people or events, or the energy that makes machines work.
Narrator: In plain English, power is who is in charge, and also what keeps the lights on.
Narrator: The word comes through Old French from the Latin posse, meaning to be able.
Narrator: A common collocation is "come to power", which describes a leader or party taking control of government.
Narrator: It differs from "strength", because strength is physical force, while power is the ability to influence or to act.
Narrator: In a second sense, we speak of power cuts and solar power, meaning electrical energy.
Narrator: Politics, physics, engineering and business all rely on the word.
Narrator: So remember: power is the ability to make things happen, whether in a parliament or in a plug socket.
Speaker A: Why do we say a power cut and a world power with the same word?
Speaker B: Because both are about ability! POWER comes from the Latin posse, to be able, so a country and a battery both can do things.
Speaker A: So the meaning is really about capacity?
Speaker B: Exactly, the capacity to act or to control.
Speaker A: Example sentences?
Speaker B: "The party came to power in 2010", meaning it began governing. "There was a power cut last night", meaning the electricity failed. "Knowledge is power", meaning information gives influence.
Speaker A: Common mistakes?
Speaker B: We say in power for control, and power is uncountable for energy, so say a lot of power, not many powers, unless you mean countries or special abilities.
Speaker A: Close relatives?
Speaker B: Authority is its official cousin, strength is its muscular twin, and influence is the subtle alternative, but power keeps its commanding charm!
Speaker B: Let's use "power" in AI prompts — useful for energy apps and permission systems.
Speaker A: How does an energy app use it?
Speaker B: Ask for calculations from real readings.
Prompt: Write a TypeScript function that converts smart-meter readings into daily power usage in kilowatt-hours and flags any day above the monthly average.
Speaker A: And permissions?
Speaker B: Here power means who can do what.
Prompt: Design a role-based access system where only admins have the power to delete accounts, and explain each role in one sentence.
Speaker A: Could it improve performance?
Speaker B: Yes, for mobile battery life.
Prompt: Suggest five ways to reduce the power consumption of this React Native app, ordered by expected battery saving.
Speaker A: One more?
Speaker B: A power outage page.
Prompt: Write a calm status page message for customers during a power outage at our data centre, including the next update time.
Power — meaning in Arabic & definition More P courses GL Dictionary