a heavy blow or a loud, explosive noise.
the power of exciting.
An Americanism dating back to 1880–85
First recorded in 1715–25; variant of poll 1
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
It will be followed by a public luncheon at the fairgrounds in Window Rock, a gospel celebration, a song and dance, a comedy show, a pow wow and an inaugural ball.
From Seattle Times • Jan. 9, 2023
"Toy soldiers, all that jazz. Even now I'm like, 'pow, pow, pow,' on the tour bus."
From BBC • Sep. 4, 2022
Certain arrivals deserve leisurely appreciation, dishes including pork pow, slightly chewy Chinese steamed buns filled with juicy crumbled pork and lit with habanero sauce.
From Washington Post • Jun. 10, 2022
“No one I’ve ever known has done anything like that. You go to a Native-American pow wow and you don’t hear anything like this.”
From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 17, 2021
He made a loud pow sound and pretended like he had shot.
From "The Heart is a Lonely Hunter" by Carson McCullers
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
