the faculty of doing or suffering any thing. Power therefore is two-fold, viz. considered as able to make, or able to receive, any change; the former whereof may be called active power, and the latter passive power. See Metaphysics, n° 73—80.

mechanics, denotes any force, whether of a man, a horse, a spring, the wind, water, &c. which, being applied to a machine, tends to produce motion.

law, signifies in general, a particular authority granted by any person to another to represent him, or to act in his stead.