Result from Foreign Dictionaries (4 entries found)

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]: Poise \Poise\, n. [OE. pois, peis, OF. pois, peis, F. poids, fr. L. pensum a portion weighed out, pendere to weigh, weigh out. Cf. {Avoirdupois}, {Pendant}, {Poise}, v.] [Formerly written also {peise}.] 1. Weight; gravity; that which causes a body to descend; heaviness. "Weights of an extraordinary poise." --Evelyn. [1913 Webster] 2. The weight, or mass of metal, used in weighing, to balance the substance weighed. [1913 Webster] 3. The state of being balanced by equal weight or power; equipoise; balance; equilibrium; rest. --Bentley. [1913 Webster] 4. That which causes a balance; a counterweight. [1913 Webster] Men of unbounded imagination often want the poise of judgment. --Dryden. [1913 Webster] 5. a dignified and self-confident manner; graceful composure and tact in handling difficult social situations. [PJC] From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]: Poise \Poise\, v. i. To hang in equilibrium; to be balanced or suspended; hence, to be in suspense or doubt. [1913 Webster] The slender, graceful spars Poise aloft in air. --Longfellow. [1913 Webster] From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]: Poise \Poise\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Poised}, ; p. pr. & vb. n. {Poising}.] [OE. poisen, peisen, OF. & F. peser, to weigh, balance, OF. il peise, il poise, he weighs, F. il p[`e]se, fr. L. pensare, v. intens. fr. pendere to weigh. See {Poise}, n., and cf. {Pensive}.] [Formerly written also {peise}.] 1. To balance; to make of equal weight; as, to poise the scales of a balance. [1913 Webster] 2. To hold or place in equilibrium or equiponderance. [1913 Webster] Nor yet was earth suspended in the sky; Nor poised, did on her own foundation lie. --Dryden. [1913 Webster] 3. To counterpoise; to counterbalance. [1913 Webster] One scale of reason to poise another of sensuality. --Shak. [1913 Webster] To poise with solid sense a sprightly wit. --Dryden. [1913 Webster] 4. To ascertain, as by the balance; to weigh. [1913 Webster] He can not sincerely consider the strength, poise the weight, and discern the evidence. --South. [1913 Webster] 5. To weigh (down); to oppress. [Obs.] [1913 Webster] Lest leaden slumber peise me down to-morrow. --Shak. [1913 Webster] From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]: poise n 1: a cgs unit of dynamic viscosity equal to one dyne-second per square centimeter; the viscosity of a fluid in which a force of one dyne per square centimeter maintains a velocity of 1 centimeter per second 2: a state of being balanced in a stable equilibrium 3: great coolness and composure under strain; "keep your cool" [syn: {aplomb}, {assuredness}, {cool}, {poise}, {sang-froid}] v 1: be motionless, in suspension; "The bird poised for a few moments before it attacked" 2: prepare (oneself) for something unpleasant or difficult [syn: {brace}, {poise}] 3: cause to be balanced or suspended 4: hold or carry in equilibrium [syn: {poise}, {balance}]