Found 1 items, similar to peise.
English → English (gcide) Definition: peise 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. [1913 Webster] 2. To hold or place in equilibrium or equiponderance. [1913 Webster] Nor yet was earth suspended in the sky; Nor poised, did on her own foundation lie. --Dryden. [1913 Webster] 3. To counterpoise; to counterbalance. [1913 Webster] One scale of reason to poise another of sensuality. --Shak. [1913 Webster] To poise with solid sense a sprightly wit. --Dryden. [1913 Webster] 4. To ascertain, as by the balance; to weigh. [1913 Webster] He can not sincerely consider the strength, poise the weight, and discern the evidence. --South. [1913 Webster] 5. To weigh (down); to oppress. [Obs.] [1913 Webster] Lest leaden slumber peise me down to-morrow. --Shak. [1913 Webster] 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. [1913 Webster] 2. The weight, or mass of metal, used in weighing, to balance the substance weighed. [1913 Webster] 3. The state of being balanced by equal weight or power; equipoise; balance; equilibrium; rest. --Bentley. [1913 Webster] 4. That which causes a balance; a counterweight. [1913 Webster] Men of unbounded imagination often want the poise of judgment. --Dryden. [1913 Webster] 5. a dignified and self-confident manner; graceful composure and tact in handling difficult social situations. [PJC]