poten-, pot-, poss-, -potent, -potence, -potency, -potential +

A diplomatic agent, such as an ambassador, fully authorized to represent his or her government.

1. A reference to a cell that has the capacity to develop into any of the various tissues and organs of the body.
2. Not fixed as to developmental potentialities: "A pluripotent cell having developmental plasticity or pluripotent embryonic tissue.
3. Capable of affecting more than one organ or tissue.

1. In common law, posse comitatus (Latin for "the power of the county") referred to the authority wielded by the county sheriff to conscript any able-bodied male over the age of fifteen to assist him in keeping the peace or to pursue and arrest a felon; compare hue and cry. It is the law enforcement equivalent of summoning the militia for military purposes.
2. The body of persons that a peace officer of a U.S. county is empowered to call upon for assistance in preserving the peace, making arrests, and serving writs.
3. The assembled group is called a posse for short.

The name Posse Comitatus means, “the Power of the County”, bringing to mind colorful images of the old west county sheriff swearing in a posse to pursue fleeing criminals.

The Act was born out of the extensive use of federal troops for law enforcement in the South following the Civil War. Congress, recognizing that the long-term use of the Army to enforce civilian laws posed a potential danger to the military’s subordination to civilian control, passed the Act.

The 1878 Posse Comitatus Act made it a crime for anyone to use the Army to enforce federal, state, or local civil laws.

1. To have as property; to own.
2. To have as a quality, characteristic, or other attribute: "She possessed great tact."
3. To acquire mastery of or have knowledge of: "He possessed valuable data."
4. To gain or exert influence or control over; to dominate.
5. To control or maintain (one's nature) in a particular condition.
6. To cause to own, hold, or master something; such as, property or knowledge.
7. To cause to be influenced or controlled, as by an idea or emotion.
8. Etymology: Middle English possessen, from Old French possessier, from Latin possessus, past participle of possidere, "to possess"; which stands for pots, "mighty, powerful" plus sidere, literally "to sit as a master".

1. The act or fact of possessing.
2. The state of being possessed.

1. The fact or state of being possible.
2. Something that is possible.
3. Potentiality for favorable or interesting results: "The idea has great possibilities."

1. Capable of happening, existing, or being true without contradicting proven facts, laws, or circumstances.
2. Capable of occurring or of being done without offense to character, nature, or custom.
3. Capable of favorable development; potential.
4. That which may be true or may be the case, as something concerning which someone has no knowledge to the contrary: "It is possible that he has already gone."
5. Of uncertain likelihood; without any guarantee.

1. Capable of happening, existing, or being true without contradicting proven facts, laws, or circumstances.
2. Capable of occurring or being done without offense to character, nature, or custom.
3. Capable of favorable development; potential: "This is a possible site for our new house."

They can because they think they can. -Vergil

1. The state or quality of being potent.
2. Power; authority.
3. Capacity to be, to become, or to develop; potentiality.
4. A person or thing exerting power or influence.

1. Powerful; mighty: "A potent fighting force."
2. Cogent; persuasive: "Several potent arguments were in his favor."
3. Producing powerful physical or chemical effects: "He used a potent drug."
4. Having or exercising great power or influence: "The higher interest rate was a potent factor in the economy."
5. Possessing inner or physical strength; powerful.

Someone who possesses great power, as a sovereign, monarch, or ruler.

1. Capable of being but not yet in existence; latent: "It was a potential problem."
2. Having the possibility, capability, or power.
3. Relating to, or being a verbal construction with auxiliaries such as may or can; for example, "it may snow".
4. The inherent ability or capacity for growth, development, or coming into being.
5. Something possessing the capacity for growth or development.
6. In physics, the work required to move a unit of positive charge, a magnetic pole, or an amount of mass from a reference point to a designated point in a static electric, magnetic, or gravitational field; potential energy.

The amount of work per unit mass (or charge) that is required to move a mass (or charge) through a gravitational (or electrostatic) field, from an infinite distance to the point at which this force is to be evaluated.

The energy stored in a body or system as a consequence of its position, composition, shape or state; for example, gravitational energy, electrical energy, nuclear energy, or chemical energy.