pow

¹ American  

[pou] / paʊ /

interjection

1. (used to express or indicate a heavy blow or a loud, explosive noise.)

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noun

1. a heavy blow or a loud, explosive noise.

2. the power of exciting.

adjective

1. exciting and appealing.

pow ² American  

[poh, pou] / poʊ, paʊ /

noun

Scot. and North England.

1. the head; poll.

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POW ³ American  

Or P.O.W.

1. prisoner of war.

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POW ¹ British  

abbreviation

1. prisoner of war

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pow ² British  

/ paʊ /

interjection

1. an exclamation imitative of a collision, explosion, etc

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pow ³ British  

/ paʊ /

noun

1. the head or a head of hair

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pow ⁴ British  

/ paʊ /

noun

1. a creek or slow stream

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Etymology

Origin of pow¹

An Americanism dating back to 1880–85

Origin of pow²

First recorded in 1715–25; variant of poll ¹

Example Sentences

Earlier this year, a former POW, Pavel Guguyev, 45, was tried for cooperating with a foreign government.

From The Wall Street Journal

One POW, who said he has been diagnosed with depression, said that he hasn’t received the appropriate medical care or been allowed to see his family, but that he also hasn’t been sent back to the front.

From The Wall Street Journal

At first Gerard appeared primarily in commercials, representing companies including Ford, Coca-Cola and Proctor & Gamble until he landed the role of former POW Dr. Alan Stewart on NBC’s “The Doctors.”

From Los Angeles Times

The Jewish Week, while not quite on the same level of enthusiasm, did give the accurate and inadvertently enticing description “this pow! bam! sock! pie-in-the-face, ‘kick butt’ spaceage version of Chanukah is loud.

From Los Angeles Times

Jeff Weiss, editor of POW Magazine: You really have powerhouses coming out of this movement.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• clout
• courage
• durability
• energy
• firmness
• fortitude
• health
• power
• stability
• tenacity
• toughness
• vigor
• vitality