early 15c., "weight, quality of being heavy," later "significance, importance" (mid-15c.), from Old French pois "weight, balance, consideration" (12c., Modern French poids), from Medieval Latin pesum "weight," from Latin pensum "something weighted or weighed," (source of Provençal and Catalan pes, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian peso), noun use of neuter past participle of pendere "to weigh" (see pendant).
The sense of "steadiness, composure" first recorded 1640s, from notion of being equally weighted on either side (1550s). Meaning "balance" is from 1711; meaning "way in which the body is carried" is from 1770.
poise (v.)
late 14c., "to have a certain weight," from stressed form of Old French peser "to weigh, be heavy; weigh down, be a burden; worry, be a concern," from Vulgar Latin *pesare, from Latin pensare "to weigh carefully, weigh out, counter-balance," frequentative of pendere (past participle pensus) "to weigh" (see pendant). For form evolution from Latin to French, see OED. Meaning "to place in equilibrium" is from 1630s (compare equipoise). Passive sense of "to be ready" (to do something) is from 1932. Related: Poised; poising. In 15c. a poiser was an official who weighed goods.
雙語例句
1. It took a moment for Mark to recover his poise.
馬克過了一會兒才恢複鎮靜。
來自柯林斯例句
2. What amazed him even more than her appearance was her poise.
她的容貌讓他驚歎，而更讓他驚訝的是她的沉著。
來自柯林斯例句
3. Even when he moved he did so without poise.
他就連走起路來也姿勢難看。
來自柯林斯例句
4. She is a beautiful girl with the grace and poise.
她是一位儀態優雅的佳麗.
來自《簡明英漢詞典》
5. She hesitated briefly but quickly regained her poise.