pole¹ / pōl/ • n. a long, slender, rounded piece of wood or metal, typically used with one end placed in the ground as a support for something: a tent pole. ∎  Track & Field a long, slender, flexible rod of wood or fiberglass used by a competitor in pole-vaulting. ∎ short for ski pole. ∎  a wooden shaft fitted to the front of a cart or carriage drawn by animals and attached to their yokes or collars. ∎  a simple fishing rod.• v. [tr.] propel (a boat) by pushing a pole against the bottom of a river, canal, or lake.PHRASES: under bare poles Sailing with no sail set.pole² • n. either of the two locations (North Pole orSouth Pole) on the surface of the earth (or of a celestial object) that are the northern and southern ends of the axis of rotation. See also celestial pole, magnetic pole. ∎  Geom. either of the two points at which the axis of a sphere intersects its surface. ∎  Geom. a fixed point to which other points or lines are referred, e.g., the origin of polar coordinates or the point of which a line or curve is a polar. ∎  Biol. an extremity of the main axis of a cell, organ, or part. ∎  each of the two opposite points on the surface of a magnet at which magnetic forces are strongest. ∎  each of two terminals (positive and negative) of an electric cell, battery, or machine. ∎ fig. one of two opposed or contradictory principles or ideas: Miriam and Rebecca represent two poles in the argument about transracial adoption.PHRASES: be poles apart have nothing in common.DERIVATIVES: pole·ward / -wərd/ adj.pole·wards / -wərdz/ adj. & adv.pole³ • n. short for pole position.

pole2 either of the two locations (North Pole or South Pole) on the surface of the earth (or of a celestial object) which are the northern and southern ends of the axis of rotation. Recorded from late Middle English, the name comes from Latin polus ‘end of an axis’, from Greek polos ‘pivot, axis, sky’.
from pole to pole throughout the world, everywhere (recorded from the late 16th century, and especially in poetic use).
Pole Star a fairly bright star located within one degree of the celestial north pole, in the constellation Ursa Minor; in figurative usage, something which serves as a guide or governing principle, a lodestar.

See also magnetic pole.

pole1 a long, slender, rounded piece of wood or metal, typically used with one end placed in the ground as a support for something; from the late 15th century, of definite length, and used as a measure. From this, pole came to mean a measure of length, equivalent to a perch. Recorded from Old English, the word is of Germanic origin, ultimately based on Latin palus ‘stake’.
pole position the most favourable position at the start of a motor race, from a 19th-century use of pole in horse racing, denoting the starting position next to the inside boundary fence.

pole Generally either of the two points of intersection of the surface of a sphere and its axis of rotation. The Earth has four poles: the North and South geographic poles, where the Earth's imaginary axis meets its surface; and the north and south magnetic poles, where the Earth's magnetic field is most concentrated. A bar magnet has a north pole, where the magnetic flux leaves the magnet, and a south pole, where it enters. A pole is also one of the terminals (positive or negative) of a battery, electric machine or circuit.

pole2 each of the two points in the celestial sphere XIV; each extremity (north and south) of the earth's axis; each of two opposite points on surface of magnet at which magnetic forces are manifested XVI. — L. polus end of an axis — Gr. pólos pivot, axis (see WHEEL). Cf. F. pōle, in part the source.
So polar XVI. — F. polaire, It. polare, or medL. polāris; whence polarity XVII. polarize XIX. — F. polariser.