Pot-sure (-shur) adjective Made confident by drink. [ Obsolete]

Potentate noun [ Late Latin potentatus , from potentare to exercise power: confer French potentat . See Potent , adjective ] One who is potent; one who possesses great power or sway; a prince, sovereign, or monarch.

The blessed and only potentate .

1 Tim. vi. 15.

Cherub and seraph, potentates and thrones.

Milton.

Potential adjective [ Confer French potentiel . See Potency .]
1. Being potent; endowed with energy adequate to a result; efficacious; influential. [ Obsolete] "And hath in his effect a voice potential ." Shak.

2. Existing in possibility, not in actuality. "A potential hero." Carlyle.

Potential existence means merely that the thing may be at ome time; actual existence, that it now is.

Sir W. Hamilton.

Potential cautery . See under Cautery . -- Potential energy . (Mech.) See the Note under Energy . -- Potential mood , or mode (Gram.) , that form of the verb which is used to express possibility, liberty, power, will, obligation, or necessity, by the use of may , can , must , might , could , would , or should ; as, I may go ; he can write .

Potential noun
1. Anything that may be possible; a possibility; potentially. Bacon.

2. (Math.) In the theory of gravitation, or of other forces acting in space, a function of the rectangular coordinates which determine the position of a point, such that its differential coefficients with respect to the coördinates are equal to the components of the force at the point considered; -- also called potential function , or force function . It is called also Newtonian potential when the force is directed to a fixed center and is inversely as the square of the distance from the center.

3. (Electricity) The energy of an electrical charge measured by its power to do work; hence, the degree of electrification as referred to some standard, as that of the earth; electro-motive force.

Potentiality noun The quality or state of being potential; possibility, not actuality; inherent capability or disposition, not actually exhibited.

Potentially adverb
1. With power; potently. [ Obsolete]

2. In a potential manner; possibly, not positively.

The duration of human souls is only potentially infinite.

Bentley.

Potentiate transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Potentiated ; present participle & verbal noun Potentiating .] To render active or potent. Coleridge.

Potentiometer noun [ Potential + -meter .] (Electricity) An instrument for measuring or comparing electrial potentials or electro-motive forces.

Potentize transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Potentized ; present participle & verbal noun Potentizing .] To render the latent power of (anything) available. Dunglison.

Potently adverb With great force or energy; powerfully; efficaciously. "You are potently opposed." Shak.

Potentness noun The quality or state of being potent; powerfulness; potency; efficacy.

Potestate noun A chief ruler; a potentate. [ Obsolete] Wyclif . "An irous potestate ." Chaucer.

Potestative adjective [ Latin potestativus , from potestas power: confer French potestatif . See Potent .] Authoritative. [ Obsolete] Bp. Pearson.

Potgun noun
1. A pot-shaped cannon; a mortar. [ Obsolete] "Twelve potguns of brass." Hakluyt.

2. A popgun. [ Obsolete] Swift.

Pothecary noun An apothecary. [ Obsolete]

Potheen noun See Poteen .

Pother noun [ Confer Dutch peuteren to rummage, poke. Confer Potter , Pudder .] Bustle; confusion; tumult; flutter; bother. [ Written also potter , and pudder .] "What a pother and stir!" Oldham. "Coming on with a terrible pother ." Wordsworth.

Pother intransitive verb To make a bustle or stir; to be fussy.

Pother transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Pothered ; present participle & verbal noun Pothering .] To harass and perplex; to worry. " Pothers and wearies himself." Locke.

Pothole noun A circular hole formed in the rocky beds of rivers by the grinding action of stones or gravel whirled round by the water in what was at first a natural depression of the rock.

Pothook noun
1. An S -shaped hook on which pots and kettles are hung over an open fire.

2. A written character curved like a pothook; ( plural ) a scrawled writing. "I long to be spelling her Arabic scrawls and pothooks ." Dryden.

Pothouse noun An alehouse. T. Warton.

Potiche noun ; plural - tiches . [ French, from pot a pot.] (Ceramics) A vase with a separate cover, the body usually rounded or polygonal in plan with nearly vertical sides, a neck of smaller size, and a rounded shoulder.

Potichomania Po`ti*cho*ma"nie noun [ French potichomanie ; potiche a porcelain vase + manie mania.] The art or process of coating the inside of glass vessels with engravings or paintings, so as to give them the appearance of painted ware.

Potion noun [ Latin potio , from potare to drink: confer French potion . See Poison .] A draught; a dose; usually, a draught or dose of a liquid medicine. Shak.

Potion transitive verb To drug. [ Obsolete] Speed.

Potlatch noun [ Chinook potlatch , pahtlatch , from Nootka pahchilt , pachalt , a gift.]
1. Among the Kwakiutl, Chimmesyan, and other Indians of the northwestern coast of North America, a ceremonial distribution by a man of gifts to his own and neighboring tribesmen, often, formerly, to his own impoverishment. Feasting, dancing, and public ceremonies accompany it.

2. Hence, a feast given to a large number of persons, often accompanied by gifts. [ Colloq., Northwestern America]

Potlid noun The lid or cover of a pot.

Potlid valve , a valve covering a round hole or the end of a pipe or pump barrel, resembling a potlid in form.

Potluck noun Whatever may chance to be in the pot, or may be provided for a meal.

A woman whose potluck was always to be relied on.

G. Eliot.

To take potluck , to take what food may chance to be provided.

Potman noun ; plural Potmen
1. A pot companion. [ Obsolete] Life of A. Wood (1663).

2. A servant in a public house; a potboy.

Potoo noun (Zoology) A large South American goatsucker ( Nyctibius grandis ).

Potoroo noun (Zoology) Any small kangaroo belonging to Hypsiprymnus , Bettongia , and allied genera, native of Australia and Tasmania. Called also kangaroo rat .

Potpie noun A meat pie which is boiled instead of being baked.

Potpourri noun [ French, from pot pot + pourri , past participle of pourrir to rot, Latin putrere . Confer Olla-podrida .] A medley or mixture. Specifically: (a) A ragout composed of different sorts of meats, vegetables, etc., cooked together. (b) A jar or packet of flower leaves, perfumes, and spices, used to scent a room. (c) A piece of music made up of different airs strung together; a medley. (d) A literary production composed of parts brought together without order or bond of connection.

Potsdam group (Geol.) A subdivision of the Primordial or Cambrian period in American geology; -- so named from the sandstone of Potsdam , New York. See Chart of Geology .

Potshard, Potshare noun A potsherd. [ Obsolete] Spenser.

Potsherd noun [ Pot + sherd or shard .] A piece or fragment of a broken pot. Job ii. 8.

Potstone noun (Min.) A variety of steatite sometimes manufactured into culinary vessels.

Pott noun A size of paper. See under Paper .

Pottage noun [ French potage , from pot pot. See Pot , and confer Porridge , Porringer .] A kind of food made by boiling vegetables or meat, or both together, in water, until soft; a thick soup or porridge. [ Written also potage .] Chaucer.

Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentils.

Gen. xxv. 34.

Pottain noun Old pot metal. [ Obsolete] Holland.

Potteen noun See Poteen .

Potter noun [ Confer French potier .]
1. One whose occupation is to make earthen vessels. Ps. ii. 9.

The potter heard, and stopped his wheel.

Longfellow.

2. One who hawks crockery or earthenware. [ Prov. Eng.] De Quincey.

3. One who pots meats or other eatables.

4. (Zoology) The red-bellied terrapin. See Terrapin .

Potter's asthma (Medicine) , emphysema of the lungs; -- so called because very prevalent among potters. Parkers. -- Potter's clay . See under Clay . -- Potter's field , a public burial place, especially in a city, for paupers, unknown persons, and criminals; -- so named from the field south of Jerusalem, mentioned in Matt. xxvii. 7. -- Potter's ore . See Alquifou . -- Potter's wheel , a horizontal revolving disk on which the clay is molded into form with the hands or tools. "My thoughts are whirled like a potter's wheel ." Shak. -- Potter wasp (Zoology) , a small solitary wasp ( Eumenes fraternal ) which constructs a globular nest of mud and sand in which it deposits insect larvæ, such as cankerworms, as food for its young.

Potter intransitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Pottered ; present participle & verbal noun Pottering .] [ Confer W. pwtio to poke, or OD. poteren to search one thoroughly, Swedish påta , peta , to pick, English pother , put .]
1. To busy one's self with trifles; to labor with little purpose, energy, of effect; to trifle; to pother.

Pottering about the Mile End cottages.

Mrs. Humphry Ward.

2. To walk lazily or idly; to saunter.

Potter transitive verb To poke; to push; also, to disturb; to confuse; to bother. [ Prov. Eng.] Halliwell.

Pottern adjective Of or pertaining to potters.

Pottern ore , a species of ore which, from its aptness to vitrify like the glazing of potter's wares, the miners call by this name. Boyle.

Pottery noun ; plural Potteries . [ French poterie , from pot . See Pot .]
1. The vessels or ware made by potters; earthenware, glazed and baked.

2. The place where earthen vessels are made.

Potting noun
1. Tippling. [ Obsolete] Shak.

2. The act of placing in a pot; as, the potting of plants; the potting of meats for preservation.

3. The process of putting sugar in casks for cleansing and draining. [ West Indies] B. Edwards.

Pottle noun [ Middle English potel , Old French potel , dim. of pot . See Pot .]
1. A liquid measure of four pints.

2. A pot or tankard. Shak.

A dry pottle of sack before him.

Sir W. Scott.

3. A vessel or small basket for holding fruit.

He had a . . . pottle of strawberries in one hand.

Dickens.

Pottle draught , taking a pottle of liquor at one draught. [ Prov. Eng.] Halliwell.

Potto noun (Zoology) (a) A nocturnal mammal ( Perodictius potto ) of the Lemur family, found in West Africa. It has rudimentary forefingers. Called also aposoro , and bush dog . (b) The kinkajou.