po v|er|ty line N‑SING If someone is on the poverty line , they have just enough income to buy the things they need in order to live. □ Thirteen per cent of the population live below the poverty line.
po verty-stricken ADJ [usu ADJ n] Poverty-stricken people or places are extremely poor. □ …a teacher of poverty-stricken kids.
po v|er|ty trap (poverty traps ) N‑COUNT If someone is in a poverty trap , they are very poor but cannot improve their income because the money they get from the government decreases as the money they earn increases.
POW /piː oʊ dʌ b ə ljuː/ (POWs ) N‑COUNT A POW is the same as a prisoner of war .
pow|der /paʊ də r / (powders , powdering , powdered )
1 N‑VAR Powder consists of many tiny particles of a solid substance. □ The wood turns to powder in his fingers. □ …a fine white powder. □ …cocoa powder.
2 VERB If a woman powders her face or some other part of her body, she puts face powder or talcum powder on it. □ [V n] She powdered her face and applied her lipstick and rouge. □ [V -ed] …the old woman's powdered face.
3 N‑UNCOUNT [oft N n] Powder is very fine snow. □ …a day's powder skiing.
4 → see also baking powder , chilli powder , curry powder , talcum powder , washing powder
po w|der blue also powder-blue COLOUR Something that is powder blue is a pale greyish-blue colour.
pow|dered /paʊ də r d/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] A powdered substance is one which is in the form of a powder although it can come in a different form. □ There are only two tins of powdered milk left.
po w|der keg (powder kegs ) also powder-keg N‑COUNT If you describe a situation or a place as a powder keg , you mean that it could easily become very dangerous. □ Unless these questions are solved, the region will remain a powder keg.
po w|der room (powder rooms ) N‑COUNT A powder room is a room for women in a public building such as a hotel, where they can use the toilet, have a wash, or put on make-up. [FORMAL ]
pow|dery /paʊ dəri/ ADJ Something that is powdery looks or feels like powder. □ A couple of inches of dry, powdery snow had fallen.
pow|er ◆◆◆ /paʊ ə r / (powers , powering , powered )
1 N‑UNCOUNT If someone has power , they have a lot of control over people and activities. □ In a democracy, power must be divided. □ …a political power struggle between the Liberals and National Party.
2 N‑UNCOUNT [usu N to-inf] Your power to do something is your ability to do it. □ Human societies have the power to solve the problems confronting them. □ [+ of ] He was so drunk that he had lost the power of speech.
3 N‑UNCOUNT If it is in or within your power to do something, you are able to do it or you have the resources to deal with it. □ Your debt situation is only temporary, and it is within your power to resolve it.
4 N‑UNCOUNT If someone in authority has the power to do something, they have the legal right to do it. □ The police have the power of arrest.
5 N‑UNCOUNT [oft in N ] If people take power or come to power , they take charge of a country's affairs. If a group of people are in power , they are in charge of a country's affairs. □ In 1964 Labour came into power. □ He first assumed power in 1970. □ The party has been in power since independence in 1964.
6 N‑COUNT You can use power to refer to a country that is very rich or important, or has strong military forces. □ The country is a major power in an area of great strategic importance.
7 N‑UNCOUNT The power of something is the ability that it has to move or affect things. □ The Roadrunner had better power, better tyres, and better brakes. □ …massive computing power.
8 N‑UNCOUNT Power is energy, especially electricity, that is obtained in large quantities from a fuel source and used to operate lights, heating, and machinery. □ Nuclear power is cleaner than coal. □ Power has been restored to most parts that were hit last night by high winds.
9 VERB The device or fuel that powers a machine provides the energy that the machine needs in order to work. □ [V n] The battery could power an electric car for 600 miles on a single charge. ● -powered COMB □ …battery-powered radios. □ …nuclear-powered submarines.
10 → see also high-powered
11 ADJ [ADJ n] Power tools are operated by electricity. □ …large power tools, such as chainsaws. □ …a power drill.
12 N‑SING In mathematics, power is used in expressions such as 2 to the power of 4 or 2 to the 4th power to indicate that 2 must be multiplied by itself 4 times. This is written in numbers as 2⁴, or 2 x 2 x 2 x 2, which equals 16.
13 PHRASE You can refer to people in authority as the powers that be , especially when you want to say that you disagree with them or do not understand what they say or do. □ The powers that be, in this case the independent Television Association, banned the advertisement altogether.
▸ power ahead PHRASAL VERB If an economy or company powers ahead , it becomes stronger and more successful. □ [V P ] The most widely held view is the market will continue to power ahead. □ [V P ] It all leaves the way clear for Tesco to power ahead.