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of its existence and rights against foreign control or conquest, the augmentation of its strength and resources, and the protection of its citizens in their rights, with the preservation and improvement of their morals.

Wanting in strength or vigor; feeble; dejected; as, poor health; poor spirits. "His genius . . . poor and cowardly." Bacon.

The quality or state of being potent; physical or moral power; inherent strength; energy; ability to effect a purpose; capability; efficacy; influence. "Drugs of potency." Hawthorne. A place of potency and away o' the state. Shak.

Ability, regarded as put forth or exerted; strength, force, or energy in action; as, the power of steam in moving an engine; the power of truth, or of argument, in producing conviction; the power of enthusiasm. "The power of fancy." Shak.

Having the ascendency over others; superior in strength, influence, or authority; prevailing; as, a predominant color; predominant excellence. Those help . . . were predominant in the king's mind. Bacon. Foul subordination is predominant. Shak.

To be superior in number, strength, influence, or authority; to have controlling power or influence; to prevail; to rule; to have the mastery; as, love predominated in her heart. [Certain] rays may predominate over the rest. Sir. I. Newton.

ke or suppose to be true, or entitled to belief, without examination or proof, or on the strength of probability; to take for granted; to infer; to suppose. Every man is to be presumed innocent till he is proved to be guilty. Blackstone. What rests but that the mortal sentence pass, . . . Which he presumes already vain…

The quality or condition of being prevalent; superior strength, force, or influence; general existence, reception, or practice; wide extension; as, the prevalence of virtue, of a fashion, or of a disease; the prevalence of a rumor. The duke better knew what kind of argument were of prevalence with him. Clarendon.…

An auxiliary rope to strengthen a mast. Preventer bolts, or Preventer plates (Naut.), fixtures connected with preventers to reënforce other rigging. -- Preventer stay. (Naut.) Same as Preventer, 3.

The spring of life; youth; hence, full health, strength, or beauty; perfection. "Cut off in their prime." Eustace. "The prime of youth." Dryden.

arson. That the procession of their life might be More equable, majestic, pure, and free. Trench.

profuse or lavish in any expenditure; a waster; a spendthrift. "Noble prodigals of life." Trench.

ave many proofs to show your skill. Ford. Formerly, a very rude mode of ascertaining the strength of spirits was practiced, called the proof. Ure.

To cause to sink totally; to deprive of strength; to reduce; as, a person prostrated by fever.

at depression; lowness; dejection; as, a postration of spirits. "A sudden prostration of strength." Arbuthnot.

ry or to ascertain by an experiment, or by a test or standard; to test; as, to prove the strength of gunpowder or of ordnance; to prove the contents of a vessel by a standard measure. Thou hast proved mine heart. Ps. xvii. 3.

Power; strength; might; force; potency. " Youths of puissance." Tennyson. The power and puissance of the king. Shak.

In a puissant manner; powerfully; with great strength.

characterized by livid spots on the skin from extravasated blood, with loss of muscular strength, pain in the limbs, and mental dejection; the purples. Dunglison.

r seemed asleep for nine long years; at length Both sides resolved to push, we tried our strength. Dryden.