Adjacent Words

Strength definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

STRENGTH, n. [See Strong.]
1. That property or quality of an animal body by which it is enabled to move itself or other bodies. We say, a sick man has not strength to walk, or to raise his head or his arm. We say, a man has strength to lift a weight, or to draw it. This quality is called also power and force. But force is also used to denote the effect of strength exerted, or the quantity of motion. Strength in this sense, is positive, or the power of producing positive motion or action, and is opposed to weakness.
2. Firmness; solidity or toughness; the quality of bodies by which they sustain the application of force without breaking or yielding. Thus we speak of the strength of a bone, the strength of a beam, the strength of a wall, the strength of a rope. In this sense, strength is a passive quality, and is opposed to weakness or frangibility.
3. Power or vigor of any kind.
This act shall crush the strength of Satan.
Strength there must be either of love or war.
4. Power of resisting attacks; fastness; as the strength of a castle or fort.
5. Support; that which supports; that which supplies strength; security.
God is our refuge and strength. Psalms 46.
6. Power of mind; intellectual force; the power of any faculty; as strength of memory; strength of reason; strength of judgment.
7. Spirit; animation.
Me thinks I feel new strength within me rise.
8. Force of writing; vigor; nervous diction. The strength of words, of style, of expression and the like, consists in the full and forcible exhibition of ideas, by which a sensible or deep impression is made on the mind of a hearer or reader. It is distinguished from softness or sweetness. Strength of language enforces an argument, produces conviction, or excites wonder or other strong emotion; softness and sweetness give pleasure.
And praise the easy vigor of a line, where Denhams strength and Wellers sweetness join.
9. Vividness; as strength of colors or coloring.
10. Spirit; the quality of any liquor which has the power of affecting the taste, or of producing sensible effects on other bodies; as the strength of wine or spirit; the strength of an acid.
11. The virtue or spirit of any vegetable, or of its juices or qualities.
12. Legal or moral force; validity; the quality of binding, uniting or securing; as the strength of social or legal obligations; the strength of law; the strength of public opinion or custom.
13. Vigor; natural force; as the strength of natural affection.
14. That which supports; confidence.
The allies, after a successful summer, are too apt upon the strength of it to neglect preparation for the ensuing campaign.
15. Amount of force, military or naval; an army or navy; number of troops or ships well appointed. What is the strength of the enemy by land, or by sea?
16. Soundness; force; the quality that convinces, persuades or commands assent; as the strength of an argument or of reasoning; the strength of evidence.
17. Vehemence; force proceeding from motion and proportioned to it; as the strength of wind or a current of water.
18. Degree of brightness or vividness; as the strength of light.
19. Fortification; fortress; as an inaccessible strength. [Not in use.]
20. Support; maintenance of power.
What they boded would be a mischief to us, you are providing shall be one of our principal strengths. [Not used.]
STRENGTH, v.t To strengthen. [Not in use.]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: the property of being physically or mentally strong; "fatigue sapped his strength" [ant: weakness]
2: capability in terms of personnel and materiel that affect the capacity to fight a war; "we faced an army of great strength"; "politicians have neglected our military posture" [syn: military capability, military strength, strength, military posture, posture]
3: physical energy or intensity; "he hit with all the force he could muster"; "it was destroyed by the strength of the gale"; "a government has not the vitality and forcefulness of a living man" [syn: force, forcefulness, strength]
4: an asset of special worth or utility; "cooking is his forte" [syn: forte, strong suit, long suit, metier, specialty, speciality, strong point, strength] [ant: weak point]
5: the power to induce the taking of a course of action or the embracing of a point of view by means of argument or entreaty; "the strength of his argument settled the matter" [syn: persuasiveness, strength] [ant: unpersuasiveness]
6: the amount of energy transmitted (as by acoustic or electromagnetic radiation); "he adjusted the intensity of the sound"; "they measured the station's signal strength" [syn: intensity, strength, intensity level]
7: capacity to produce strong physiological or chemical effects; "the toxin's potency"; "the strength of the drinks" [syn: potency, effectiveness, strength]
8: the condition of financial success; "the strength of the company's stock in recent weeks" [ant: weakness]
9: permanence by virtue of the power to resist stress or force; "they advertised the durability of their products" [syn: lastingness, durability, enduringness, strength]

Merriam Webster's

noun (plural strengths) Etymology: Middle English strengthe, from Old English strengthu; akin to Old High German strengi strong — more at strong Date: before 12th century 1. the quality or state of being strong ; capacity for exertion or endurance 2. power to resist force ; solidity, toughness 3. power of resisting attack ; impregnability 4. a. legal, logical, or moral force b. a strong attribute or inherent asset <the strengths and the weaknesses of the book are evident> 5. a. degree of potency of effect or of concentration <chili peppers in varying strengths> b. intensity of light, color, sound, or odor c. vigor of expression 6. force as measured in numbers ; effective numbers of any body or organization <an army at full strength> 7. one regarded as embodying or affording force or firmness ; support <you are my love and my strength> 8. maintenance of or a rising tendency in a price level ; firmness of prices <the strength of the dollar> 9. basis — used in the phrase on the strength of Synonyms: see power

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. 1 the state of being strong; the degree or respect in which a person or thing is strong. 2 a a person or thing affording strength or support. b an attribute making for strength of character (patience is your great strength). 3 the number of persons present or available. 4 a full complement (below strength). Phrases and idioms: from strength from a strong position. from strength to strength with ever-increasing success. in strength in large numbers. on the strength of relying on; on the basis of. the strength of the essence or main features of. Derivatives: strengthless adj. Etymology: OE strengthu f. Gmc (as STRONG)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Strength Strength, v. t. To strengthen. [Obs.] --Chaucer.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Strength Strength, n. [OE. strengthe, AS. streng[eth]u, fr. strang strong. See Strong.] 1. The quality or state of being strong; ability to do or to bear; capacity for exertion or endurance, whether physical, intellectual, or moral; force; vigor; power; as, strength of body or of the arm; strength of mind, of memory, or of judgment. All his [Samson's] strength in his hairs were. --Chaucer. Thou must outlive Thy youth, thy strength, thy beauty. --Milton. 2. Power to resist force; solidity or toughness; the quality of bodies by which they endure the application of force without breaking or yielding; -- in this sense opposed to frangibility; as, the strength of a bone, of a beam, of a wall, a rope, and the like. ``The brittle strength of bones.'' --Milton. 3. Power of resisting attacks; impregnability. ``Our castle's strength will laugh a siege to scorn.'' --Shak. 4. That quality which tends to secure results; effective power in an institution or enactment; security; validity; legal or moral force; logical conclusiveness; as, the strength of social or legal obligations; the strength of law; the strength of public opinion; strength of evidence; strength of argument. 5. One who, or that which, is regarded as embodying or affording force, strength, or firmness; that on which confidence or reliance is based; support; security. God is our refuge and strength. --Ps. xlvi. 1. What they boded would be a mischief to us, you are providing shall be one of our principal strengths. --Sprat. Certainly there is not a greater strength against temptation. --Jer. Taylor. 6. Force as measured; amount, numbers, or power of any body, as of an army, a navy, and the like; as, what is the strength of the enemy by land, or by sea? 7. Vigor or style; force of expression; nervous diction; -- said of literary work. And praise the easy vigor of a life Where Denham's strength and Waller's sweetness join. --Pope. 8. Intensity; -- said of light or color. Bright Ph[oe]bus in his strength. --Shak. 9. Intensity or degree of the distinguishing and essential element; spirit; virtue; excellence; -- said of liquors, solutions, etc.; as, the strength of wine or of acids. 10. A strong place; a stronghold. [Obs.] --Shak. On, or Upon, the strength of, in reliance upon. ``The allies, after a successful summer, are too apt, upon the strength of it, to neglect their preparations for the ensuing campaign.'' --Addison. Syn: Force; robustness; toughness; hardness; stoutness; brawniness; lustiness; firmness; puissance; support; spirit; validity; authority. See Force.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(strengths) Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English. 1. Your strength is the physical energy that you have, which gives you the ability to perform various actions, such as lifting or moving things. She has always been encouraged to swim to build up the strength of her muscles... He threw it forward with all his strength... He leant against the wall, fighting for strength to continue. 2. Someone's strength in a difficult situation is their confidence or courage. Something gave me the strength to overcome the difficulty... His strength is an inspiration to me in my life... You need strength of mind to stand up for yourself. ? weakness N-UNCOUNT: also a N 3. The strength of an object or material is its ability to be treated roughly, or to carry heavy weights, without being damaged or destroyed. He checked the strength of the cables. ...the properties of a material, such as strength or electrical conductivity. N-UNCOUNT: also N in pl 4. The strength of a person, organization, or country is the power or influence that they have. America values its economic leadership, and the political and military strength that goes with it... The Alliance in its first show of strength drew a hundred thousand-strong crowd to a rally... They have their own independence movement which is gathering strength. N-UNCOUNT: also N in pl 5. If you refer to the strength of a feeling, opinion, or belief, you are talking about how deeply it is felt or believed by people, or how much they are influenced by it. He was surprised at the strength of his own feeling... What makes a mayor successful in Los Angeles is the strength of his public support. = intensity, depth 6. Someone's strengths are the qualities and abilities that they have which are an advantage to them, or which make them successful. Take into account your own strengths and weaknesses... Tact was never Mr Moore's strength... Organisation is the strength of any good army... ? weakness N-VAR 7. If you refer to the strength of a currency, economy, or industry, you mean that its value or success is steady or increasing. ...the long-term competitive strength of the American economy... The drop was caused partly by the pound's strength against the dollar. ? weakness 8. The strength of a group of people is the total number of people in it. ...elite forces, comprising about one-tenth of the strength of the army. N-UNCOUNT: also N in pl 9. The strength of a wind, current, or other force is its power or speed. A tropical storm is gaining strength in the eastern Atlantic. N-UNCOUNT: also N in pl 10. The strength of a drink, chemical, or drug is the amount of the particular substance in it that gives it its particular effect. Each capsule contains between 30 and 100 pellets of morphine sulphate according to the strength of dose required... N-UNCOUNT: also N in pl 11. You can talk about the strength of a flavour, smell, colour, sound, or light to describe how intense or easily noticed it is. The wine has lots of strength of flavour. N-UNCOUNT: also N in pl 12. If a person or organization goes from strength to strength, they become more and more successful or confident. A decade later, the company has gone from strength to strength. PHRASE: V inflects 13. If a team or army is at full strength, all the members that it needs or usually has are present. He needed more time to bring US forces there up to full strength. ...a full-strength team. PHRASE: PHR after v, v-link PHR, PHR n 14. If a group turns out in strength, they arrive in large numbers. Mr Gore called on voters and party workers to turn out in strength... Security forces have been out in strength. PHRASE: PHR after v 15. If one thing is done on the strength of another, it is done because of the influence of that other thing. He was elected to power on the strength of his charisma... PHRASE: PHR after v 16. If an army or team is under strength or below strength, it does not have all the members that it needs or usually has. His regiments were considerably under strength... They had been beaten by a below-strength side. PHRASE: PHR after v, v-link PHR, PHR n

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

n. 1. Power, might, force, potency, puissance, nerve, vigor. 2. Solidity, toughness, hardness. 3. Impregnability. 4. Lustiness, brawniness, robustness, stoutness. 5. Fortitude, courage, spirit, animation, firmness, resolution. 6. Validity, cogency, efficacy, soundness. 7. Vigor (of style), energy, nervous diction, nerve, force. 8. Support, security, stay. 9. Intensity, brightness, brilliance, clearness, vividness. 10. Spirit, virtue, excellence, potency. 11. Vehemence, force, impetuosity, violence. 12. Energy, boldness, vigor. 13. Armament, force.

Moby Thesaurus

ability, amount, amperage, ampleness, amplitude, aptitude, arm, armipotence, asset, authoritativeness, authority, backbone, beef, bite, bitingness, black power, body, boundlessness, brawn, brawniness, brute force, bulk, burden, charge, charisma, clout, cogence, cogency, cohesiveness, compulsion, concentration, concreteness, core, cuttingness, demonic energy, density, determination, dint, drive, durability, duress, dynamism, effect, effectiveness, effectuality, endurance, energy, enormity, enormousness, ergal, expanse, extent, firmness, fixity of purpose, flower power, force, force majeure, forcefulness, formidableness, fortitude, full blast, full force, fullness, gameness, gaminess, gift, gigantism, gist, grandeur, grandness, great scope, greatness, grit, guts, gutsiness, haleness, hardiness, hardness, healthiness, heartiness, high flavor, highness, hugeness, immensity, impressiveness, incisiveness, infinity, influence, infrangibility, intensity, intestinal fortitude, intrepidity, iron will, kinetic energy, largeness, lastingness, leatherlikeness, longevity, lustiness, magisterialness, magnitude, main force, main strength, mana, mass, materiality, matter, measure, measurement, meat, might, might and main, mightiness, moral courage, moral fiber, mordancy, moxie, muchness, muscle, muscle power, nerve, nervosity, nervousness, numbers, palpability, perseverance, persistence, pertinacity, pith, pizzazz, plenitude, pluck, poignancy, ponderability, poop, potence, potency, potential energy, potentiality, power, power pack, power structure, power struggle, powerfulness, prepotency, prodigiousness, productiveness, productivity, puissance, pull, punch, purport, push, quantity, quantum, rankness, reliability, resistance, resoluteness, resolution, robustness, ropiness, ruggedness, security, sense, sinew, sinewiness, solidity, soundness, spunk, stability, stableness, stamina, steadiness, steam, stiffness, stoutness, strength of mind, strength of purpose, strenuousness, stringiness, strong arm, strong language, strong point, strongness, stubbornness, stupendousness, sturdiness, substance, substantiality, substantialness, sum, sum and substance, superiority, superpower, talent, tangibility, tenaciousness, tenacity, toughness, tremendousness, trenchancy, unbreakability, unbreakableness, validity, vastness, vehemence, vigor, vigorousness, vim, virility, virtue, virulence, viscidity, vitality, wattage, weight, whole, will, will of iron, will power