Tools: Learn New Words | Secure Password Generator | Startup Tools | PDF Generator

Poise (Verb)

Be motionless, in suspension; "The bird poised for a few moments before it attacked".

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming.

The hawk poised in mid-air, scanning its surroundings for prey, before swooping down.
The hummingbird poised at the edge of the flower, sipping nectar without touching the petals.
The diver poised at the edge of the cliff, taking a moment to psych herself up before the jump.
The ballerina poised in a perfect arabesque, her leg extended and her arms outstretched.
The fly poised on the rim of the cup, momentarily still before making its escape.

Hold or carry in equilibrium.

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging.

The gymnast managed to poise the balance beam with ease, making the difficult routine look effortless.
The waiter expertly poised a tray of glasses and drinks above his head as he navigated through the crowded room.
She struggled to poise the large vase on the narrow shelf, carefully adjusting its position to prevent it from falling.
The acrobat poised on one leg, stretching her arms out for balance before springing into a backflip.
The tightrope walker slowly poise the tightrope, testing her balance before proceeding to walk across.

Prepare (oneself) for something unpleasant or difficult.

Verbs of feeling.

She steeled herself to poise for the confrontation that was coming her way.
He took a deep breath and tried to poise himself for the bad news he was about to receive.
The students mentally prepared and poised themselves for the difficult exam that lay ahead.
Before receiving the diagnosis, she had to poise herself for the worst-case scenario.
The team captain psyched himself up to poise for the tough match that would decide their season.

Cause to be balanced or suspended.

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging.

She expertly maneuvered the seesaw to poise the weighty object in mid-air.
With delicate care, the acrobat moved to poise the tightrope walker at the highest point.
A balance on the edge is required to poise the delicate sculpture on the end of the outstretched finger.
The trapeze artist skillfully made the adjustments needed to poise her partner over the large net below.
Her years of experience allow her to precisely poise a tiny figurine on top of a broad, flat hat.