poise

¹poise

verb \ˈpȯiz\

poisedpois·ing

Definition of POISE

transitive verb

1

a : balance; especially : to hold or carry in equilibrium <carried a water jar poised on her head>

b : to hold supported or suspended without motion in a steady position <poised her fork and gave her guest a knowing look — Louis Bromfield>

2

: to hold or carry (the head) in a particular way

3

: to put into readiness : brace

intransitive verb

1

: to become drawn up into readiness

2

: hover

Examples of POISE

1. She poised her pencil above the paper and waited for the signal to begin writing.
2. <the disgraced business executive poised herself for the difficult press conference>

Origin of POISE

Middle English, to weigh, ponder, from Anglo-French peiser, poiser, from Latin pensare — more at pensive

First Known Use: 1598

Related to POISE

Synonyms

brace, forearm, nerve, fortify, psych (up), ready, steel, strengthen

Antonyms

settle, sink

Related Words

arm; harden, inure, season, toughen; bolster, boost, buoy (up), buttress, enforce, prop (up), reinforce (also reenforce), support, sustain; cheer (up), comfort, embolden, encourage, hearten, inspire; rally, rouse, stir

Near Antonyms

daunt, demoralize, discourage, dishearten, dispirit, psych (out), shake, unnerve; debilitate, enervate, enfeeble, prostrate, sap, soften, tire, undercut, undermine, weaken

Rhymes with POISE

hoise, noise, Noyes

²poise

noun

Definition of POISE

1

: a stably balanced state : equilibrium <a poise between widely divergent impulses — F. R. Leavis>

2

a : easy self-possessed assurance of manner : gracious tact in coping or handling; also : the pleasantly tranquil interaction between persons of poise <no angry outbursts marred the poise of the meeting>

b : a particular way of carrying oneself : bearing, carriage

Origin of POISE

Middle English poyse weight, heaviness, from Anglo-French peis, pois, from Latin pensum, from neuter of pensus, past participle of pendere to weigh — more at pendant

First Known Use: 1649

Rhymes with POISE

vase

³poise

noun \ˈpwäz\

Definition of POISE

: a centimeter-gram-second unit of viscosity equal to the viscosity of a fluid that would require a shearing force of one dyne to impart to a one-square-centimeter area of an arbitrary layer of the fluid a velocity of one centimeter per second relative to another layer separated from the first by a distance of one centimeter

Origin of POISE

French, from Jean Louis Marie Poiseuille †1869 French physician and anatomist

First Known Use: 1913

poise

noun \ˈpȯiz, ˈpwäz\   (Medical Dictionary)

Medical Definition of POISE

: a cgs unit of viscosity equal to the viscosity of a fluid that would require a shearing force of one dyne to impart to a one square-centimeter area of an arbitrary layer of the fluid a velocity of one centimeter per second relative to another layer separated from the first by a distance of one centimeter