1 (influential, controlling) [+person, government, force, influence] poderoso you're a powerful man - people will listen to you Russia and India, two large, powerful countries Hong Kong's powerful business community he has become, as President of the Russian Federation, the second most powerful man in the country he was one of the most powerful people in the music business one of the most powerful figures in the government he is a man of great influence and he has powerful friends she had a powerful influence on him their reputation as the most powerful force in European football Jim still saw his mother as the powerful force in his life a president ought to be a powerful force for progress traditionalism retained a powerful influence within the Church the movement rapidly became the most powerful political force in Lithuania
2 (physically strong) [+person] fuerte; fornido; [+animal, physique, arms, muscles] fuerte he was a slight figure then, not the powerful man you see now it's such a big powerful dog Yul had a powerful build and robust shoulders he had a kindly, gentle face at odds with his powerful physique Hans flexed his powerful muscles He had broad shoulders and powerful arms a forest rodent with powerful jaws
3 (having great force or power) [+engine, magnet, computer, explosive] potente; [+kick, explosion, smell] fuerte; [+voice] potente; fuerte; [+swimmer] resistente the world's most powerful computer the more powerful the car the more difficult it is to handle they had just exploded a powerful hydrogen bomb a powerful earthquake shook Southern Sudan at twenty-past-four this morning hurricane Iniki, the most powerful storm to hit Hawaii this century /we heard a powerful explosion/ and all the glass in the building shattered there was a powerful smell of stale beer he had a deep, powerful voice there was always a powerful smell of kippers in the living-room tiny creamy flowers with a powerful scent the car's powerful headlights a powerful voice thundered in the stairwell at that moment Mrs. Jones's powerful voice interrupted them, announcing a visitor
4 (having a strong effect) [+drug] potente; [+emotion] intenso; profundo; [+argument] poderoso; convincente; [+performance, film, novel] impactante; que deja huella; [+speech] conmovedor he gave a powerful performance su actuación fue impactante de las que deja huella;or we have powerful evidence for this tenemos pruebas contundentes de esto; this information is a powerful weapon against the government esta información es un arma potente contra el gobierno
alcohol is also a powerful and fast-acting drug interest rates, the most powerful tool of economic policy management control is a powerful tool to be used carefully the researchers were armed with three powerful intellectual weapons Mrs Thatcher also has another powerful weapon which emerged yesterday - the backing of the party machine the speed of telecommunications makes news a more powerful weapon than ever before the powerful emotions which that music evokes I find his argument very powerful there is a powerful case for further educational reform Saddam Hussein has delivered a powerful message to Israel - that he is capable of reaching Israeli territory with his missiles /it is an inventive and powerful performance/ which carries the whole play on its back it is a powerful film one of Verdi's most powerful and moving operas Bleasdale's powerful 11-part drama about a corrupt city leader a powerful new style of dance-theatre Nadine Gordemer's powerful new novel "a son's story" he produced a series of extraordinarily powerful paintings she made a powerful speech urging the Government to take action it was the most powerful speech I have heard in the Commons for 31 years a powerful lot of people
