Peise

4 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Peise \Peise\, n. [See {Poise}.]
     A weight; a poise. [Obs.] "To weigh pence with a peise."
     --Piers Plowman.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:



  Peise \Peise\, v. t.
     To poise or weigh. [Obs.] --Chaucer.
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           Lest leaden slumber peise me down.       --Shak.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Poise \Poise\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Poised}, ; p. pr. & vb. n.
     {Poising}.] [OE. poisen, peisen, OF. & F. peser, to weigh,
     balance, OF. il peise, il poise, he weighs, F. il p[`e]se,
     fr. L. pensare, v. intens. fr. pendere to weigh. See {Poise},
     n., and cf. {Pensive}.] [Formerly written also {peise}.]
     1. To balance; to make of equal weight; as, to poise the
        scales of a balance.
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     2. To hold or place in equilibrium or equiponderance.
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              Nor yet was earth suspended in the sky;
              Nor poised, did on her own foundation lie. --Dryden.
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     3. To counterpoise; to counterbalance.
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              One scale of reason to poise another of sensuality.
                                                    --Shak.
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              To poise with solid sense a sprightly wit. --Dryden.
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     4. To ascertain, as by the balance; to weigh.
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              He can not sincerely consider the strength, poise
              the weight, and discern the evidence. --South.
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     5. To weigh (down); to oppress. [Obs.]
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              Lest leaden slumber peise me down to-morrow. --Shak.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Poise \Poise\, n. [OE. pois, peis, OF. pois, peis, F. poids, fr.
     L. pensum a portion weighed out, pendere to weigh, weigh out.
     Cf. {Avoirdupois}, {Pendant}, {Poise}, v.] [Formerly written
     also {peise}.]
     1. Weight; gravity; that which causes a body to descend;
        heaviness. "Weights of an extraordinary poise." --Evelyn.
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     2. The weight, or mass of metal, used in weighing, to balance
        the substance weighed.
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     3. The state of being balanced by equal weight or power;
        equipoise; balance; equilibrium; rest. --Bentley.
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     4. That which causes a balance; a counterweight.
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              Men of unbounded imagination often want the poise of
              judgment.                             --Dryden.
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     5. a dignified and self-confident manner; graceful composure
        and tact in handling difficult social situations.
        [PJC]