powerful weapon
- noun
- /ˈpaʊərfəl ˈwɛpən/
- But I also agree with Porter Anderson, who points out the danger of wielding powerful weapons without adequate knowledge.
- a powerful weapon, especially
And so it is, it is a it's a powerful weapon.
- And so it is, it is a it's a powerful weapon.
- Just again, to step back at the philosophical, the humans have been able to use physics and engineering to create such powerful weapons.
Examples
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The mind is the most powerful weapon because it controls you until you control it.
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The name of Jesus is a powerful weapon that we have been given to defeat the enemy in our lives.
Blog text (12) -
Words may well be a powerful weapon, as powerful as a gun.
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Your mind is a powerful weapon.
Blog text (17) -
Our brains are our most powerful weapons, but also our most dangerous threat.
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Comedy is a very powerful weapon.
Blog text (17) -
In the right hands, humility can be a powerful weapon.
Fiction book (2001) -
Our mind is the most powerful weapon we have (no travel or violence required to use it).
Blog text (34) -
Presidential or institutional condemnation is a powerful weapon, especially in a small, intimate liberal arts college.
Academic text (1990) -
Education is a powerful weapon against poverty and ignorance.
Synonyms
A very powerful device that can destroy large areas
How Effective
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase is compositionally transparent at the literal level: a learner who knows 'powerful' and 'weapon' can infer it denotes a weapon that is strong. The extended, figurative use (e.g. 'knowledge is a powerful weapon' meaning an effective means or advantage) follows a common metaphorical mapping ('weapon' = means/force) found in many languages, so understanding the precise figurative nuance requires some pragmatic inference. Because the core meaning is derivable but the metaphorical extension is not fully predictable without exposure, it is best classed as semi-transparent.
Etymology
Powerful weapon comes from the picture of a very strong weapon in a fight that helps the person holding it win. So, when we call education or a skill a powerful weapon, we mean it is like a strong 'tool' that gives a big 'advantage' and can help get important results.