powerless

adj

Etymology: From Middle English pouerles, powerles, equivalent to power + -less.

1. Lacking sufficient power or strength.

   “In Sweden, as we saw, the mistletoe which is gathered on Midsummer Eve is attached to the ceiling of the house, the horse's stall or the cow's crib, in the belief that this renders the Troll powerless to injure man and beast.”

   ““Imagine the growing regrets, the longing to escape, the powerless disgust, the surrender, the hate.””

2. Lacking legal authority.

   “The traffic warden was powerless to stop me driving away.”

3. Without electricity or electrical power.

   “During the storm, the entire neighborhood was left powerless for several hours”