pole

Everyday

1. A pole is a long thin stick, often of wood or metal, that stands up straight or is held. tree →
2. The North Pole and the South Pole are the most northern and southern points of the Earth. tree →
3. A magnet has two poles, north and south. tree →
4. A Pole is a person from Poland. tree →

In the lessons

In school maths: poles along a line at equal gaps; the length of a pole; part of a pole in water or mud (fractions of a length). In science: the Earth's poles are very cold; magnets have poles — like poles push apart, unlike poles pull together. In everyday life: flagpoles, tent poles, fishing poles, telegraph poles. Phrases: «North Pole», «flagpole», «pole vault», «poles apart» (completely different).

Examples

• Poles are put every 5 m along a 50 m road. tree →
• A pole is 3 m long. tree →
• Part of the pole is in the water. tree →
• How many poles are needed? tree →
• Santa is said to live at the North Pole. tree →
• Penguins live near the South Pole, not the North Pole. tree →
• The north pole of one magnet pulls the south pole of another. tree →
• We put up the tent with four poles. tree →
• "They're close to the North Pole," said George. tree →

Note

Countable: «a pole». Do not confuse with «poll» (a vote). Maths: same as posts: on a line, poles = gaps + 1. Trap: dividing length by gap gives gaps, not poles.

In Jewish tradition

A pole here holds up a thing for people to look at, or carries a heavy load between two men. Moses set the bronze serpent on a pole, and the spies carried a cluster of grapes on a pole.

Interpretation. The rabbis said the people were healed not by the serpent but by looking up and turning their hearts to God. The huge cluster of grapes carried by two men shows how rich the land was.

Examples

• And the LORD said unto Moses: 'Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole; and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he seeth it, shall live.' (Torah NUM.21.8, JPS 1917) tree →
• And Moses made a serpent of brass, and set it upon the pole; and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he looked unto the serpent of brass, he lived. (Torah NUM.21.9, JPS 1917) tree →
• And they came unto the valley of Eshcol, and cut down from thence a branch with one cluster of grapes, and they bore it upon a pole between two; they took also of the pomegranates, and of the figs. — (Torah NUM.13.23, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

Countable: «a pole». Do not confuse with «poll» (a vote). Maths: same as posts: on a line, poles = gaps + 1. Trap: dividing length by gap gives gaps, not poles.