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gy adequate to a result; efficacious; influential. [Obs.] "And hath in his effect a voice potential." Shak.

The quality or state of being potential; possibility, not actuality; inherent capability or disposition, not actually exhibited.

In a potential manner; possibly, not positively. The duration of human souls is only potentially infinite. Bentley.

Having the same potential. Equipotential surface, a surface for which the potential is for all points of the surface constant. Level surfaces on the earth are equipotential.

Existing in act or reality; really acted or acting; in fact; real; -- opposed to potential, possible, virtual, speculative, coceivable, theoretical, or nominal; as, the actual cost of goods; the actual case under discussion.

(as a hot iron) which cauterizes or sears by actual heat; or the burning so effected. -- Potential cautery, a substance which cauterizes by chemical action; as, lunar caustic; also, the cauterizing produced by such substance.

lectric current; sometimes used to express the degree of electrification as equivalent to potential, or more properly difference of potential.

An actuality; a conception completely actualized, in distinction from mere potential existence.

Potential energy; negative value of the force function.

A form of conductor, designed by Ferranti, for currents of high potential, and consisting of concentric tubes of copper separated by an insulating material composed of paper saturated with black mineral wax.

ise, and parallel with the rabbet of the keel lengthwise. Level surface (Physics), an equipotential surface at right angles at every point to the lines of force.

The potential principle, or force, by which the organs of animals and plants are started and continued in the performance of their several and coöperative functions; the vital force, whether regarded as physical or spiritual.

nt is the direction of the resultant of all the forces. It cuts at right angles every equipotential surface which it meets. Specifically (Magnetism), a line in proximity to a magnet so drawn that any point in it is tangential with the direction of a short compass needle held at that point. Faraday. -- Line of life (Pa…

ne body to another with or without actual contact. The existence of such a force, and its potentiality for the cure of disease, were asserted by Mesmer in

nit in the measure of electrical resistance, being the resistance of a circuit in which a potential difference of one volt produces a current of one ampére. As defined by the International Electrical Congress in 1893, and by United States Statute, it is a resistance substantially equal to 109 units of resistance of the…

An instrument for measuring or comparing electrial potentials or electro-motive forces.

arious points of an electric system to a central station, where a voltmeter indicates the potential of the system at those points.

The space filled with air or other dielectric between high potential terminals (as of an electrostatic machine, induction coil, or condenser), through which the discharge passes; the air gap of a jump spark.

Transforming or converting a current of high potential or pressure into one of low pressure; as, a step-down transformer.

homoiothermal) animals during life. The ultimate source of the heat is to be found in the potential energy of the food and the oxygen which is absorbed from the air during respiration. See Homoiothermal. -- Temperature sense (Physiol.), the faculty of perceiving cold and warmth, and so of perceiving differences of tem…