poise
1 of 3verb
ˈpȯiz 
poised; poising
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
Louis Bromfield2
: 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
poise
2 of 3noun (1)
ˈpȯiz
1
: a stably balanced state : equilibrium
a poise between widely divergent impulses F. R. Leavis
F. R. Leavis2
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
poise
3 of 3noun (2)
ˈpwäz
: 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
Synonyms
Verb
- brace
- forearm
- fortify
- nerve
- psych (up)
- ready
- steel
- strengthen
Noun (1)
- balance
- counterpoise
- equilibration
- equilibrium
- equipoise
- stasis
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Verb She poised her pencil above the paper and waited for the signal to begin writing. the disgraced business executive poised herself for the difficult press conference
Word History
Etymology
Verb
Middle English, to weigh, ponder, from Anglo-French peiser, poiser, from Latin pensare — more at pensive
Noun (1)
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
Noun (2)
French, from Jean Louis Marie Poiseuille †1869 French physician and anatomist
First Known Use
Verb
1597, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a
Noun (1)
1649, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Noun (2)
1913, in the meaning defined above
Phrases Containing poise
Kids Definition
poise 1 of 2
verb
ˈpȯiz
poised; poising
1
: to hold or make steady by balancing
A book was poised on her head.
2
: to remain in position without moving
… a serpent was poised ready to strike. Lloyd Alexander, Time Cat
Lloyd Alexander, Time Cat3
: to be or become ready for something
poise
2 of 2noun
1
: the state of being balanced
2
: a natural self-confident manner
He spoke with great poise.
Medical Definition
poise
noun
ˈpȯiz ˈpwäz
ˈpwäz : 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
poising
verb
1
as in bracing
to prepare (oneself) mentally or emotionally the disgraced business executive poised herself for the difficult press conference Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- bracing
- fortifying
- readying
- strengthening
- nerving
- steeling
- arming
- forearming
- reinforcing
- bolstering
- sustaining
- enforcing
- inuring
- hardening
- psyching (up)
- encouraging
- buttressing
- emboldening
- supporting
- toughening
- stirring
- boosting
- comforting
- inspiring
- seasoning
- reenforcing
- rallying
- rousing
- heartening
- buoying (up)
- propping (up)
- cheering (up)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- shaking
- discouraging
- unnerving
- daunting
- undermining
- softening
- weakening
- demoralizing
- undercutting
- disheartening
- sapping
- debilitating
- tiring
- enervating
- prostrating
- dispiriting
- psyching (out)
- enfeebling
2
as in hovering
to rest or move along the surface of a liquid or in the air the falcon poised in the air for an instant before diving to attack its prey Synonyms & Similar Words
- hovering
- floating
- swimming
- gliding
- drifting
- sailing
- hanging
- bobbing
- dangling
- wafting
- riding
- suspending
- buoying
- rafting
- ballooning
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- settling
- sinking
- plunging
- dipping
- diving
- lunging
- submerging
- immersing
- submersing
- callaïs
- callback
- callbacks
- callboards
- callboy
- callboys
- called
- called (for)
- called (off or out)
- called (on or upon)
- called (up)
- called at
- called down
- called for
- called for a revote
- called forth
- called in
- called in question
- called into action
- called off
- called off or out
- called on
- called on or upon
- called out
- called strike