威

い【威】

1 〔威厳〕 (personal) dignity.

●威あって猛(_たけ)からず be dignified without being overbearing; be dignified yet [but] not stern; be majestic, and yet not fierce; have a commanding presence without being overbearing.

2 〔威光･威力〕 authority; power; influence; prestige.

●威に伏する be overawed 《by…》; be cowed 《before…》.

●虎の威を借る狐 the ass in the lion's skin

・威を示す show one's power; make one's influence felt

・彼女は歴史家として学会に威を振るっている. She is making her presence felt in the learned society as a historian.

・彼はこのあたり一帯に威を振るった武将であった. He was a military commander who made his presence felt in this entire district.

・人の威を笠(_かさ)に着る strut about in borrowed plumes; act big because of someone else's powerful backing.