ADJ

absolute, ultimate
considerable, enormous
limited
arbitrary
economic, legal, legislative, political
popular
secular

VERB + POWER

come to, rise to
When did this government come to power?
assume, seize, take
The Crown prince assumed power in his father's place
restore sb to, return sb to
have, hold
The court has no power to order a psychiatric examination of the child's parents. They held power for 18 years
share
exercise, use, wield
confer, give sb, grant sb
The new law delegates many of these powers to school governors
fall from, lose
They fell from power in 1992
give up, relinquish, renounce
delegate, devolve

POWER + VERB

be concentrated in (the hands of sb/sth), rest with sb/sth
The real legislative power still rests with the lower chamber

POWER + NOUN

struggle
getting the upper hand in a power struggle
base
The party's power base is in the industrial north of the country

PREP

in (your) ~
the party in power They held us in their power
~ of
the power of veto
~ over
The government has limited legal powers over television

PHRASES

abuse of power, the balance of power
The war brought about a shift in the balance of power
a bid for power, the exercise of power, a position of power
the father's position of power and influence in the home
the power behind the throne (= the person who is really in control)
People say that the prime minister's wife is the power behind the throne
power-hungry
The company was too small to hold two such power-hungry men
a transfer of power
the transfer of power from a military to a civilian government

ADJ

air, military, naval, sea
an increase in Britain's air power
fire
weapons with enormous fire power
bargaining
computing
healing
the healing power of sleep
earning, purchasing
staying
Having served in four governments, he has the greatest staying power of any politician today
magic, magical, mystical, psychic, supernatural
They believe he has supernatural powers

VERB + POWER

have
use
develop
lose
Religion is rapidly losing its power to shape our behaviour

PREP

beyond sb/sth's ~
a task still beyond any computer's power
in/within your
I'm afraid it's not within my power to help you
through the ~ of
He wants to change the world through the power of prayer
~s as
a tribute to his powers as a teacher
~ of
her powers of observation I lost my power of speech for a while after the accident

PHRASES

at the height/peak/zenith of your powers
In 1946 Dali was at the peak of his powers
do all/everything in your power
He did everything in his power to find us somewhere to live

ADJ

great, major
world
foreign
allied, enemy
occupying
victorious
European, Western, etc.
major European powers such as France and Germany
colonial, industrial, naval

ADJ

great
destructive, terrible
the destructive power of a hurricane

ADJ

full
The plane was still climbing at full power
reduced
The transmitter is operating on reduced power
electric, electrical, hydroelectric, nuclear, solar, steam, tidal, water, wind

VERB + POWER

generate, produce
They use these streams to generate power for the mill
provide (sb/sth with), supply (sb/sth with)
This wheel provides the power to the cutting machine
use
harness
turn on
cut off, turn off

POWER + VERB

drive sth
Wind power is used to drive the machinery

POWER + NOUN

cable, line, point, supply
tool
DIY grew in popularity with the advent of power tools
plant, station
worker
cut, failure

PREP

~ for
supplying power for the grinding process

PHRASES

a source of power