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.
实用例句
1. It took a moment for Mark to recover his poise.
马克过了一会儿才恢复镇静。
来自柯林斯例句
2. What amazed him even more than her appearance was her poise.
她的容貌让他惊叹，而更让他惊讶的是她的沉着。
来自柯林斯例句
3. Even when he moved he did so without poise.
他就连走起路来也姿势难看。
来自柯林斯例句
4. She is a beautiful girl with the grace and poise.
她是一位仪态优雅的佳丽.
来自《简明英汉词典》
5. She hesitated briefly but quickly regained her poise.
