- poise
-
poise1
/poyz/, n., v., poised, poising.n.1. a state of balance or equilibrium, as from equality or equal distribution of weight; equipoise.2. a dignified, self-confident manner or bearing; composure; self-possession: to show poise in company.3. steadiness; stability: intellectual poise.4. suspense or wavering, as between rest and motion or two phases of motion: the poise of the tides.5. the way of being poised, held, or carried.6. the state or position of hovering: the poise of a bird in the air.v.t.7. to adjust, hold, or carry in equilibrium; balance evenly.8. to hold supported or raised, as in position for casting, using, etc.: to poise a spear.9. to hold or carry in a particular manner: She walked, carefully poising a water jug on her head.10. Obs. to weigh.v.i.11. to rest in equilibrium; be balanced.12. to hover, as a bird in the air.[1350-1400; (n.) ME pois(e) weight < OF (F poids) < LL pensum, n. use of neut. ptp. of L pendere to weigh; (v.) ME poisen to weigh < OF poiser, var., based on tonic s., of peser < L pensare, freq. of pendere]Syn. 2. self-assurance; polish, grace, refinement.Ant. 1, 3. instability.poise2/pwahz/, n. Physics.a centimeter-gram-second unit of viscosity, equal to the viscosity of a fluid in which a stress of one dyne per square centimeter is required to maintain a difference of velocity of one centimeter per second between two parallel planes in the fluid that lie in the direction of flow and are separated by a distance of one centimeter. Symbol: P[1910-15; < F; namedafter Jean Louis Marie Poiseuille (1799-1869), French physician]
* * *
Universalium. 2010.