power

électricité, courant

Électricité fournie à un bâtiment, une machine ou une zone.

En anglais simple : Electricity supplied to a building, machine, or area.

• The power is off.
• A storm cut power to the whole village.
• Solar panels provide power for the house.

Synonymes : electricity

Expressions courantes : power supply, power cut, solar power

puissance, force

Force physique qui fait bouger quelque chose ou provoque une action.

En anglais simple : Physical strength or force that makes something move or happen.

• His kick had real power.
• The waves hit the boat with great power.
• She admired the power of the horse’s legs.

Comment l'utiliser : power of something (We felt the power of the waves.)

Synonymes : strength, force

Contraires : weakness

Expressions courantes : muscle power, sheer power, power of something

capacité, pouvoir

Capacité de faire quelque chose, parfois une chose extraordinaire impossible pour les gens ordinaires.

En anglais simple : An ability to do something, sometimes something unusual or impossible for ordinary people.

• The hero has the power to fly.
• She used her powers to help people.
• His powers of memory surprised us.

Comment l'utiliser : power to do something (The wizard has the power to disappear.); powers of something (Her powers of observation are remarkable.)

Synonymes : ability, capacity

Contraires : inability

Expressions courantes : special power, power to fly, healing power

puissance

Quantité d’énergie qu’une machine utilise ou produit par unité de temps.

En anglais simple : How much energy a machine uses or produces in a certain amount of time.

• Power is measured in watts.
• This motor has a power output of two kilowatts.
• The device uses less power at a lower speed.

Expressions courantes : power output, rated power, measure power

puissance

Résultat obtenu en multipliant un nombre par lui-même, avec autant de facteurs que l’indique l’exposant.

En anglais simple : A number made by multiplying another number by itself a stated number of times.

• Three to the power of two is nine.
• Write one thousand as a power of ten.
• We learned how to calculate powers of whole numbers.

Comment l'utiliser : to the power of a number (Two to the power of four is sixteen.)

Expressions courantes : power of ten, third power, to the power

autorité, pouvoir

Personne ou groupe ayant l’autorité de diriger les autres ou de prendre des décisions importantes.

En anglais simple : A person or group with the authority to control others or make important decisions.

• The church was a major power in the town.
• Local powers resisted the new law.
• The powers that be have rejected our request.

Synonymes : authority

Expressions courantes : local power, ruling power, powers that be

alimenter, faire fonctionner

Fournir l’énergie nécessaire au fonctionnement d’une machine ou d’un appareil.

En anglais simple : To supply the energy that makes a machine or device work.

• Batteries power the toy.
• A small motor powers the fan.
• What powers this boat?

Comment l'utiliser : be powered by something (The clock is powered by a small battery.)

Synonymes : drive, fuel

Expressions courantes : power a machine, power a device, power something electrically