Cherub and seraph, potentates and thrones.
Milton.
Po*ten"tial (?), a. [Cf. F. potentiel. See Potency.] 1. Being potent;
endowed with energy adequate to a result; efficacious; influential.
[Obs.] "And hath in his effect a voice potential." Shak.
2. Existing in possibility, not in actuality. "A potential hero."
Carlyle.
Potential existence means merely that the thing may be at ome time;
actual existence, that it now is.
Sir W. Hamilton.
Potential cautery. See under Cautery. -- Potential energy. (Mech.) See
the Note under Energy. -- Potential mood, or mode (Gram.), that form of
the verb which is used to express possibility, liberty, power, will,
obligation, or necessity, by the use of may, can, must, might, could,
would, or should; as, I may go; he can write.
Po*ten"tial, n. 1. Anything that may be possible; a possibility;
potentially. Bacon.
2. (Math.) In the theory of gravitation, or of other forces acting in
space, a function of the rectangular coordinates which determine the
position of a point, such that its differential coefficients with
respect to the coˆrdinates are equal to the components of the force at
the point considered; -- also called potential function, or force
function. It is called also Newtonian potential when the force is
directed to a fixed center and is inversely as the square of the
distance from the center.
3. (Elec.) The energy of an electrical charge measured by its power to
do work; hence, the degree of electrification as referred to some
standard, as that of the earth; electro-motive force.
Po*ten`ti*al"i*ty (?), n. The quality or state of being potential;
possibility, not actuality; inherent capability or disposition, not
actually exhibited.