The Power

Big Mack McTeer of 

The House of The Blue :

The Suit's real neat 

and everything, Elwood, 

but do I really have 

to wear The Hat?

Elwood Blues :

These are unsophisticated men.

The only things they respond to 

are Fear and the draw of Lucre.

We elicit this by using 

Iconographic Symbols 

and Psychological Intimidation.

The way we look together now

presents a uniform image 

of Strength and Organisation.

Don't Say Anything. 

Look Mean. 

No Smiling.

power (n.)

c. 1300, pouer, "ability; ability to act or do; strength, vigor, might," especially in battle; "efficacy; control, mastery, lordship, dominion, ability or right to Command or Control; legal power or authority; authorization; military force, an army," from Anglo-French pouair, Old French povoir, noun use of the infinitive, "to be able," earlier podir (9c.), from Vulgar Latin *potere (source also of Spanish poder, Italian potere), from Latin potis "powerful" (from PIE root *poti- "powerful; lord").

“Whatever some hypocritical ministers of government may say about it, Power is the greatest of all pleasures. It seems to me that only love can beat it, and love is a happy illness that can't be picked up as easily as a Ministry. 

— Stendhal "de l'Amour," 1822

Meaning "one who has Power, person in Authority or exercising great influence in a community" is late 14c. 

Meaning "a specific ability or capacity" is from early 15c. 

In Mechanics, "that with which work can be done," by 1727.

Sense of "property of an inanimate thing or agency of modifying other things" is by 1590s. Meaning "a state or nation with regard to international authority or influence" [OED] is from 1726. Meaning "energy available for work is from 1727. Sense of "electrical supply" is from 1896.

Colloquial a power of for "a large quantity of, a great number of" is from 1660s (compare powerful). Phrase the powers that be "the authorities concerned" is from Romans xiii.1. As a statement wishing good luck, more power to(someone) is recorded from 1842. A man-advantage power play in ice hockey so called by 1940. Power failure "failure of the (electrical) power supply" is from 1911; power steering in a motor vehicle is from 1921. Power politics "political action based on or backed by threats of force" (1937) translates German Macht-politik.

Origin and meaning of power

power (v.)

"to supply with power," 1898, from power (n.). Earlier it meant "make powerful" (1530s). Related: Powered; powering.

Entries linking to power

*poti- 

Proto-Indo-European root meaning "powerful; lord." 

It forms all or part of: bashaw; compos mentis; despot; hospodar; host (n.1) "person who receives guests;" idempotent; impotent; omnipotent; pasha; plenipotentiary; posse; possess; possible; potence; potency; potent; potentate; potential; potentiate; potentiometer; power; totipotent. 

It is the hypothetical source of/evidence for its existence is provided by: Sanskrit patih "master, husband;" Greek posis, Lithuanian patis "husband;" Latin potis "powerful, able, capable; possible." 

empower (v.)

"to give power or authority to," 1650s, also impower, from assimilated form of en- (1) + power (n.). Used by Milton, Beaumont, Pope, Jefferson, Macaulay, but the modern popularity dates from 1986. Related: Empowered; empowering.

firepower

horsepower

hydropower

manpower

power-broker

powerful

power-house

powerless

puissant

sea-power

superpower

willpower

high-powered

overpower