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Poise   /pɔɪz/   Listen
noun
Poise  n.  (Formerly written also peise)  
1.
Weight; gravity; that which causes a body to descend; heaviness. "Weights of an extraordinary poise."
2.
The weight, or mass of metal, used in weighing, to balance the substance weighed.
3.
The state of being balanced by equal weight or power; equipoise; balance; equilibrium; rest.
4.
That which causes a balance; a counterweight. "Men of unbounded imagination often want the poise of judgment."
5.
A dignified and self-confident manner; graceful composure and tact in handling difficult social situations.



verb
Poise  v. t.  (past & past part. poised; pres. part. poising)  (Formerly written also peise)  
1.
To balance; to make of equal weight; as, to poise the scales of a balance.
2.
To hold or place in equilibrium or equiponderance. "Nor yet was earth suspended in the sky; Nor poised, did on her own foundation lie."
3.
To counterpoise; to counterbalance. "One scale of reason to poise another of sensuality." "To poise with solid sense a sprightly wit."
4.
To ascertain, as by the balance; to weigh. "He can not sincerely consider the strength, poise the weight, and discern the evidence."
5.
To weigh (down); to oppress. (Obs.) "Lest leaden slumber peise me down to-morrow."



Poise  v. i.  To hang in equilibrium; to be balanced or suspended; hence, to be in suspense or doubt. "The slender, graceful spars Poise aloft in air."






Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48








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"Poise" Quotes from Famous Books



... only wring her hands in view of these blighting truths, and indulge in half-uttered complaints against her husband's "folly," as she termed it. From the first her grief had been more emotional than deep, and her mind, recovering in part its usual poise, had begun to be much occupied with preparations for a grand funeral, which was carried out to her taste. Then arose deeply interesting questions as to various styles of mourning costume, and an exciting vista of ...
— What Can She Do? • Edward Payson Roe

... elastic, her complexion had recovered some of its brilliancy; there was a light in her eyes that I had never seen there before, and about her lips a perpetual smile hovered. She was tranquil again, and self-possessed; but she was more than that—she was happy. One could see it in the very poise of her figure when ...
— Ideala • Sarah Grand

... wind was howling, too, and the storm was gathering which culminated in the series of lawsuits brought by Morse and his associates against the infringers on his patents. The letters to his brother are full of the details of these piratical attacks, but throughout all the turmoil he maintained his poise and his faith in the triumph of justice and truth. In the letter just quoted from he says: "These matters do not annoy me as formerly. I have seen so many dark storms which threatened, and particularly in relation to the Telegraph, and I have seen them so often hushed at the 'Peace, be ...
— Samuel F. B. Morse, His Letters and Journals - In Two Volumes, Volume II • Samuel F. B. Morse

... countenance became still more darkly congested. Implacable prejudice glinted in his small eyes. Nor was his temper softened by the effrontery of this offender in giving back look for look with a calm poise that overshadowed his arrogance ...
— The False Faces • Vance, Louis Joseph

... be resorted to, whenever the inclination of the patient, or their probable beneficial effects may render them desirable. To dispel gloomy images, to break morbid associations, to lead the feelings into their proper current, and to restore the mind to its natural poise, various [Transcriber's note: original reads 'varius'] less active amusements will be provided. Reading, writing, drawing, innocent sports, tending and feeding domestic animals, &c. will be encouraged as they may be found conducive to the ...
— A Psychiatric Milestone - Bloomingdale Hospital Centenary, 1821-1921 • Various


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