pow
1[ pou ]
/ paʊ /
interjection
(used to express or indicate a heavy blow or a loud, explosive noise.)
noun
a heavy blow or a loud, explosive noise.
the power of exciting.
adjective
exciting and appealing.
QUIZZES
DISCOVER THE INFLUENCE OF PORTUGUESE ON ENGLISH VIA THIS QUIZ!
We’ve gathered some interesting words donated to English from Portuguese … as well as some that just don’t translate at all. Do you know what they mean?
Question 1 of 11
Which of the following animal names traces its immediate origin to Portuguese?
Origin of pow
1An Americanism dating back to 1880–85
Definition for pow (2 of 3)
pow2
[ poh, pou ]
/ poʊ, paʊ /
noun Scot. and North England.
the head; poll.
Origin of pow
2First recorded in 1715–25; variant of poll1
Definition for pow (3 of 3)
POW
or P.O.W.
prisoner of war.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
British Dictionary definitions for pow (1 of 4)
pow1
/ (paʊ) /
interjection
an exclamation imitative of a collision, explosion, etc
British Dictionary definitions for pow (2 of 4)
pow2
/ (paʊ) /
noun
Scot the head or a head of hair
Word Origin for pow
a Scot variant of poll
British Dictionary definitions for pow (3 of 4)
pow3
/ (paʊ) /
noun
Scot a creek or slow stream
Word Origin for pow
C15: from earlier Scots poll
British Dictionary definitions for pow (4 of 4)
POW
abbreviation for
prisoner of war
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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