poles

11 definitions • 13 examples

a long, thin stick of wood or metal, often used standing straight up in the ground to support things:

a telegraph/electricity pole

A flag fluttered from a 40-foot pole.

either of the two points at the most northern and most southern ends of the earth, around which the earth turns:

the North/South Pole

Most weather satellites are stationed over the Equator or travel over the poles.

one of the ends of a magnet (= an object that both attracts and pushes away iron and steel objects) where the magnetic force is strongest:

Like poles repel and unlike poles attract.

The lightning strike created a magnetic field, similar to that which exists between the north and south poles of a magnet.

one of the two points on a battery (= a device that produces electricity) where a connection can be made in an electrical circuit. One point is negative and the other positive:

A wire ran from the clock to one of the poles of the battery.

one of the two points at which a straight line through the centre of a circle cuts the surface of a sphere (= a ball-shaped object):

Poles and polars come in pairs.

a fixed point that other points or lines refer to:

In polar coordinates the origin is often called the pole.

either of two completely opposite or different opinions, positions, or qualities:

These two men might be thought to represent the opposite poles of economic ideology.

a person from Poland

a long, usually round, piece of wood or metal, often used to support something:

a telephone pole

a tent pole

either of the two points at the most northern and most southern ends of the earth or another planet, around which the planet turns:

the North/South Pole

either of the two ends of a magnet or two parts of a battery (= device that produces electricity) which have opposite charges