~ 1
■ noun
1》 graceful and elegant bearing.
↘composure and dignity of manner.
2》 archaic balance; equilibrium.
■ verb
1》 be or cause to be balanced or suspended.
2》 [as adjective ~d ] composed and elegant or self-assured.
3》 ( be ~d to do something ) be ready and prepared to do something.
Origin
ME (in the sense 'weight'): from OFr. pois , peis (n.), peser (v.), from an alt. of L. pensum 'weight'.
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~ 2
(abbrev.: P )
■ noun Physics a unit of dynamic viscosity, such that a tangential force of one dyne per square centimetre causes a velocity change of one centimetre per second between two parallel planes separated by one centimetre in a liquid.
Origin
early 20th cent.: from the name of Jean L. M. Poiseuille (1799–1869), French physician.