powers that be
The holders of power or the authorities in a given situation, especially if seen as…The holders of power or the authorities in a given situation, especially if seen as being faceless or unreasonably bureaucratic.
Meaning
1 senses(idiomatic, plural, plural only)The holders of power or the authorities in a given situation, especially if seen as being faceless or unreasonably bureaucratic.
die zuständigen Stellen, die da oben
власть имущиеvlastʹ imuščije, сильные мира сегоsilʹnyje mira sevo, власти предержащиеvlasti prederžaščije
Translations
6 languagesBy meaning 1
By meaning 1
Origin
After Romans 13:1 in the Tyndale Bible and the King James Version. The phrase is a translaAfter Romans 13:1 in the Tyndale Bible and the King James Version. The phrase is a translation of the Ancient Greek αἱ οὖσαι ἐξουσίαι (hai oûsai exousíai, “the existing authorities”). The verb be is the archaic third-person plural present indicative form, equivalent to the modern are, and not a subjunctive.
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Forms
plural: the powers that beSynonyms
2 synonymsWord family
2 related wordsLessons for this word
1 lessons- A1Plural nouns — Because its plural is irregular