All 5 Uses of
poise
in
Harry Potter (#5) and the Order of the Phoenix
- Percy's eyes, behind his horn-rimmed glasses, were fixed on his parchment, a quill poised in his hand.†
Chpt 8
- Professor Umbndge blinked but recovered her poise almost instantly.†
Chpt 15 *
- 'Now… how long have you been teaching at Hogwarts?' she asked, her quill poised over her clipboard.†
Chpt 17
- But Harry did not care if Snape was angry; at last he seemed to be getting to the bottom of this business; he had moved forwards in his chair so that, without realising it, he was perched on the very edge, tense as though poised for flight.†
Chpt 24
- Cornelius Fudge, Minister for Magic, was rocking backwards and forwards on his toes beside the fire, apparently immensely pleased with the situation; Kmgsley Shacklebolt and a tough-looking wizard with very short wiry hair whom Harry did not recognise, were positioned either side of the door like guards, and the freckled, bespectacled form of Percy Weasley hovered excitedly beside the wall, a quill and a heavy scroll of parchment in his hands, apparently poised to take notes.†
Chpt 27
Definition:
-
(poise) calm and in control -- as in "shows poise under pressure"
and/or:
prepared for action -- as in "poised for action" -- (sometimes suspended or hovering as in "a finger poised over the mute button")
and/or:
confident and graceful in movement -- as in "the poise and balance of a dancer"