Adjacent Words

control definitions

	Tweet

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: power to direct or determine; "under control"
2: a relation of constraint of one entity (thing or person or group) by another; "measures for the control of disease"; "they instituted controls over drinking on campus"
3: (physiology) regulation or maintenance of a function or action or reflex etc; "the timing and control of his movements were unimpaired"; "he had lost control of his sphincters"
4: a standard against which other conditions can be compared in a scientific experiment; "the control condition was inappropriate for the conclusions he wished to draw" [syn: control condition, control]
5: the activity of managing or exerting control over something; "the control of the mob by the police was admirable"
6: the state that exists when one person or group has power over another; "her apparent dominance of her husband was really her attempt to make him pay attention to her" [syn: dominance, ascendance, ascendence, ascendancy, ascendency, control]
7: discipline in personal and social activities; "he was a model of polite restraint"; "she never lost control of herself" [syn: restraint, control] [ant: unrestraint]
8: great skillfulness and knowledge of some subject or activity; "a good command of French" [syn: command, control, mastery]
9: a mechanism that controls the operation of a machine; "the speed controller on his turntable was not working properly"; "I turned the controls over to her" [syn: control, controller]
10: a spiritual agency that is assumed to assist the medium during a seance
11: the economic policy of controlling or limiting or curbing prices or wages etc.; "they wanted to repeal all the legislation that imposed economic controls" v
1: exercise authoritative control or power over; "control the budget"; "Command the military forces" [syn: control, command]
2: lessen the intensity of; temper; hold in restraint; hold or keep within limits; "moderate your alcohol intake"; "hold your tongue"; "hold your temper"; "control your anger" [syn: control, hold in, hold, contain, check, curb, moderate]
3: handle and cause to function; "do not operate machinery after imbibing alcohol"; "control the lever" [syn: operate, control]
4: control (others or oneself) or influence skillfully, usually to one's advantage; "She manipulates her boss"; "She is a very controlling mother and doesn't let her children grow up"; "The teacher knew how to keep the class in line"; "she keeps in line" [syn: manipulate, keep in line, control]
5: check or regulate (a scientific experiment) by conducting a parallel experiment or comparing with another standard; "Are you controlling for the temperature?" [syn: control, verify]
6: verify by using a duplicate register for comparison; "control an account"
7: be careful or certain to do something; make certain of something; "He verified that the valves were closed"; "See that the curtains are closed"; "control the quality of the product" [syn: see, check, insure, see to it, ensure, control, ascertain, assure]
8: have a firm understanding or knowledge of; be on top of; "Do you control these data?" [syn: master, control]

Merriam Webster's

I. verb (controlled; controlling) Etymology: Middle English countrollen, from Anglo-French contrerouler, from contreroule copy of an account, audit, from Medieval Latin contrarotulus, from Latin contra- + Medieval Latin rotulus roll — more at roll Date: 15th century transitive verb 1. a. archaic to check, test, or verify by evidence or experiments b. to incorporate suitable controls in <a controlled experiment> 2. a. to exercise restraining or directing influence over ; regulate b. to have power over ; rule c. to reduce the incidence or severity of especially to innocuous levels <control an insect population> <control a disease> intransitive verb to incorporate controls in an experiment or study — used with for <control for socioeconomic differences> Synonyms: see conduct • controllability noun • controllable adjective • controlment noun II. noun Usage: often attributive Date: 1590 1. a. an act or instance of controlling; also power or authority to guide or manage b. skill in the use of a tool, instrument, technique, or artistic medium c. the regulation of economic activity especially by government directive — usually used in plural <price controls> d. the ability of a baseball pitcher to control the location of a pitch within the strike zone 2. restraint, reserve 3. one that controls: as a. (1) an experiment in which the subjects are treated as in a parallel experiment except for omission of the procedure or agent under test and which is used as a standard of comparison in judging experimental effects — called also control experiment (2) one (as an organism, culture, or group) that is part of a control b. a device or mechanism used to regulate or guide the operation of a machine, apparatus, or system c. an organization that directs a spaceflight <mission control> d. a personality or spirit believed to actuate the utterances or performances of a spiritualist medium Synonyms: see power

U.S. Military Dictionary

1. Authority that may be less than full command exercised by a commander over part of the activities of subordinate or other organizations. 2. In mapping, charting, and photogrammetry, a collective term for a system of marks or objects on the Earth or on a map or a photograph, whose positions or elevations (or both) have been or will be determined. 3. Physical or psychological pressures exerted with the intent to assure that an agent or group will respond as directed. 4. An indicator governing the distribution and use of documents, information, or material. Such indicators are the subject of intelligence community agreement and are specifically defined in appropriate regulations. See also administrative control; operational control; tactical control.

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. & v. --n. 1 the power of directing, command (under the control of). 2 the power of restraining, esp. self-restraint. 3 a means of restraint; a check. 4 (usu. in pl.) a means of regulating prices etc. 5 (usu. in pl.) switches and other devices by which a machine, esp. an aircraft or vehicle, is controlled (also attrib. : control panel; control room). 6 a a place where something is controlled or verified. b a person or group that controls something. 7 a standard of comparison for checking the results of a survey or experiment. --v.tr. (controlled, controlling) 1 have control or command of; dominate. 2 exert control over; regulate. 3 hold in check; restrain (told him to control himself). 4 serve as control to. 5 check, verify. Phrases and idioms: controlling interest a means of determining the policy of a business etc., esp. by ownership of a majority of the stock. control rod a rod of neutron-absorbing material used to vary the output power of a nuclear reactor. control tower a tall building at an airport etc. from which air traffic is controlled. in control (often foll. by of) directing an activity. out of control no longer subject to containment, restraint, or guidance. under control being controlled; in order. Derivatives: controllable adj. controllability n. controllably adv. Etymology: ME f. AF contreroller keep a copy of a roll of accounts, f. med.L contrarotulare (as CONTRA-, rotulus ROLL n.): (n.) perh. f. F contr{ocirc}le

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Control Con*trol", n. 1. (Mach.) The complete apparatus used to control a mechanism or machine in operation, as a flying machine in flight; specifically (A["e]ronautics), the mechanism controlling the rudders and ailerons. 2. (Climatology) Any of the physical factors determining the climate of any particular place, as latitude,distribution of land and water, altitude, exposure, prevailing winds, permanent high- or low-barometric-pressure areas, ocean currents, mountain barriers, soil, and vegetation.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Cascade system Cascade system (Elec.) A system or method of connecting and operating two induction motors so that the primary circuit of one is connected to the secondary circuit of the other, the primary circuit of the latter being connected to the source of supply; also, a system of electric traction in which motors so connected are employed. The cascade system is also called tandem, or concatenated, system; the connection a cascade, tandem, or concatenated, connection, or a concatenation; and the control of the motors so obtained a tandem, or concatenation, control. Note: In the cascade system of traction the cascade connection is used for starting and for low speeds up to half speed. For full speed the short-circuited motor is cut loose from the other motor and is either left idle or (commonly) connected direct to the line.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Control Con*trol", n. [F. contr[^o]le a counter register, contr. fr. contr-r[^o]le; contre (L. contra) + r[^o]le roll, catalogue. See Counter and Roll, and cf. Counterroll.] 1. A duplicate book, register, or account, kept to correct or check another account or register; a counter register. [Obs.] --Johnson. 2. That which serves to check, restrain, or hinder; restraint. ``Speak without control.'' --Dryden. 3. Power or authority to check or restrain; restraining or regulating influence; superintendence; government; as, children should be under parental control. The House of Commons should exercise a control over all the departments of the executive administration. --Macaulay. Board of control. See under Board.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Control Con*trol", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Controlled; p. pr. & vb. n. Controlling.] [F. contr[^o]ler, fr. contr[^o]le.] [Formerly written comptrol and controul.] 1. To check by a counter register or duplicate account; to prove by counter statements; to confute. [Obs.] This report was controlled to be false. --Fuller. 2. To exercise restraining or governing influence over; to check; to counteract; to restrain; to regulate; to govern; to overpower. Give me a staff of honor for mine age, But not a scepter to control the world. --Shak. I feel my virtue struggling in my soul: But stronger passion does its power control. --Dryden. Syn: To restrain; rule; govern; manage; guide; regulate; hinder; direct; check; curb; counteract; subdue.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(controls, controlling, controlled) Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English. 1. Control of an organization, place, or system is the power to make all the important decisions about the way that it is run. The restructuring involves Mr Ronson giving up control of the company... The first aim of his government would be to establish control over the republic's territory. N-UNCOUNT: oft N of/over n • If you are in control of something, you have the power to make all the important decisions about the way it is run. Nobody knows who is in control of the club... In the West, people feel more in control of their own lives. PHRASE: usu v-link PHR, usu PHR of n • If something is under your control, you have the power to make all the important decisions about the way that it is run. All the newspapers were taken under government control. PHRASE: PHR after v, v-link PHR 2. If you have control of something or someone, you are able to make them do what you want them to do. He lost control of his car... Some teachers have more control over pupils than their parents have. N-UNCOUNT: oft N of/over n 3. If you show control, you prevent yourself behaving in an angry or emotional way. He had a terrible temper, and sometimes he would completely lose control... He was working hard to keep control of himself. 4. The people who control an organization or place have the power to take all the important decisions about the way that it is run. He now controls the largest retail development empire in southern California... Minebea ended up selling its controlling interest in both firms. VERB: V n, V-ing • -controlled AGA Gas is Swedish-controlled. ...the state-controlled media. COMB in ADJ 5. To control a piece of equipment, process, or system means to make it work in the way that you want it to work. ...a computerised system to control the gates... ...the controlled production of energy from sugar by a cell. VERB: V n, V-ed • -controlled ...computer-controlled traffic lights. COMB in ADJ 6. When a government controls prices, wages, or the activity of a particular group, it uses its power to restrict them. The federal government tried to control rising health-care costs. VERB: V n • Control is also a noun. Control of inflation remains the government's absolute priority. N-UNCOUNT: with supp 7. If you control yourself, or if you control your feelings, voice, or expression, you make yourself behave calmly even though you are feeling angry, excited, or upset. Jo was advised to learn to control herself... I just couldn't control my temper. = restrain VERB: V pron-refl, V n • controlled Her manner was quiet and very controlled. = restrained ADJ 8. To control something dangerous means to prevent it from becoming worse or from spreading. One of the biggest tasks will be to control the spread of malaria. VERB: V n 9. A control is a device such as a switch or lever which you use in order to operate a machine or other piece of equipment. I practised operating the controls. ...the control box. N-COUNT • If someone is at the controls of a machine or other piece of equipment, they are operating it. He died of a heart attack while at the controls of the plane. PHRASE 10. Controls are the methods that a government uses to restrict increases, for example in prices, wages, or weapons. Critics question whether price controls would do any good... They have very strict gun control in Sweden. N-VAR 11. Control is used to refer to a place where your documents or luggage are officially checked when you enter a foreign country. He went straight through Passport Control without incident. N-VAR: n N 12. see also air traffic control, birth control, quality control, remote control, stock control 13. If something is out of control, no-one has any power over it. The fire is burning out of control... PHRASE: usu v PHR, v-link PHR 14. If something harmful is under control, it is being dealt with successfully and is unlikely to cause any more harm. If the current violence is to be brought under control, the government needs to act. PHRASE: v-link PHR, PHR after v

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

I. n. Ascendency, sway, command, rule, dominion government, mastery, superintendence, direction. II. v. a. 1. Direct, manage, regulate, govern, sway, rule, reign over, command, superintend, have the direction of, have charge of. 2. Hinder, check, repress, curb, restrain, bridle.

Moby Thesaurus

Masan, R and D, abate, ability, abnegation, absolutism, abstinence, acme, action, address, adeptness, administration, adroitness, airmanship, allay, alleviate, ancestral spirits, angel, aplomb, apparition, appearance, arrest, arrestation, artfulness, artisanship, artistry, ascendancy, assuage, astral, astral spirit, attemper, attendant godling, authority, authorization, automatic control, bank the fire, banshee, barnstorm, be responsible for, be-all and end-all, blue ribbon, blunt, bond service, bondage, bravura, bridle, brilliance, button, call the shots, call the signals, calm, calmness, capability, capacity, captain, captivity, carry authority, carry on, cascade control, championship, charge, charisma, charm, chasten, check, claws, cleverness, clout, clutches, collect, command, competence, composure, conduct, consequence, conservatism, constrain, constraint, contain, continence, control action, control experiment, controlled experiment, cool, cool off, cooling, cooling down, cooling off, coordination, copilot, crack the whip, craft, craftsmanship, credit, cunning, curb, curtail, curtailment, cut and try, daemon, damp, dampen, de-emphasize, deaden, debt slavery, decelerate, deceleration, decide, deftness, demon, departed spirit, deprivation of freedom, determine, device, dexterity, dexterousness, dextrousness, dial, diminish, diplomacy, direct, direction, directorship, discipline, disembodied spirit, disenfranchisement, disfranchisement, dispassion, dispose, disposition, dominance, dominate, domination, dominion, dompt, downplay, drive, dull, duppy, dybbuk, effect, effectiveness, efficiency, eidolon, electronic control, eminence, empery, empire, empiricism, enchantment, engineer, enjoin, enslavement, enthrallment, esteem, evenness, experiment, experimental design, experimental method, experimental proof, experimentalism, experimentation, expertise, extenuate, facility, fairy godmother, familiar, familiar spirit, favor, feedback control, feudalism, feudality, finesse, first place, first prize, fly, force, form, genius, genius domus, genius loci, gentleness, ghost, golden mean, good angel, good feeling, good genius, govern, governance, government, grace, grasp, grateful dead, grip, gripe, guard, guardian, guardian angel, guardian spirit, guidance, guide, hand, handiness, handle, handling, hands, hant, happy medium, haunt, have clout, have control of, have in hand, have power, have the power, have the right, have the say, have under control, head, head up, headship, hegemony, height, helm, helotism, helotry, highest, hinder, hindrance, hit and miss, hold, hold at bay, hold back, hold fast, hold in, hold in check, hold in hand, hold in leash, hold the helm, hold the reins, hold up, horsemanship, household gods, husbandry, idolum, immateriality, impartiality, imperium, importance, incidental power, incorporeal, incorporeal being, incorporeity, indentureship, independence, influence, influentiality, ingeniousness, ingenuity, inhibit, inhibition, injunction, insinuation, interdict, invisible helper, iron hand, judiciousness, jurisdiction, juste-milieu, keep, keep back, keep from, keep in, keep in check, keep under control, keep within bounds, kingship, knob, know-how, lares and penates, lares compitales, lares familiaris, lares permarini, lares praestites, lares viales, larva, lay, lay under restraint, lead, lead on, leadership, leading, legal restraint, lemures, lenify, lenity, lessen, lever, leverage, lighten, lordship, magnetism, make the rules, manage, management, managery, managing, manes, maneuver, manipulate, manipulation, marksmanship, master, mastermind, mastership, mastery, materialization, maximum, mechanism, meden agan, middle way, might, mildness, ministering angel, mitigate, moderate, moderateness, moderation, moderationism, modulate, moment, monopoly, most, ne plus ultra, neutrality, new high, noble experiment, nonviolence, nothing in excess, numen, obtund, officer, oni, order, ordering, oversee, oversight, pacifism, palliate, palms, paramountcy, peel off, penates, peonage, personality, persuasion, phantom, pilot, pilotage, play down, poltergeist, possess authority, possession, potency, power, practical ability, pragmatism, predominance, preponderance, prescribe, presence, presidency, pressure, prestige, primacy, proficiency, prohibit, prohibition, protection, protectionism, protective tariff, prowess, prudence, pull, pull in, pull the strings, purchase, put down, quarterback, quickness, raj, rationing, readiness, record, reduce, reduce the temperature, regnancy, regulate, regulation, reign, rein, rein in, reins of government, repose, repress, repute, research and development, resource, resourcefulness, restrain, restraint, restraint of trade, retard, retardation, retrench, retrenchment, revenant, robot control, rule, rule of thumb, run, running, savoir-faire, savvy, say, seamanship, self-abnegation, self-command, self-conquest, self-control, self-denial, self-discipline, self-government, self-mastery, self-possession, self-restraint, serenity, serfdom, serfhood, servility, servitude, servo control, set back, shade, shadow, shape, shrouded spirit, skill, skillfulness, skipper, slacken, slavery, slow down, slowing down, smother, snub, sober, sober down, sobriety, soften, solo, sovereignty, special providence, specter, spectral ghost, spirit, spook, sprite, stability, steadiness, steer, steerage, steering, stifle, straiten, strings, style, suasion, subdue, subjection, subjugation, subtle influence, suggestion, supervise, supervision, supervisory control, suppress, supremacy, sway, switch, tact, tactfulness, take command, take in hand, take the lead, talons, tame, tariff wall, technical brilliance, technical mastery, technical skill, technique, temper, temperance, temperateness, tentative method, tentativeness, testing, the conn, the helm, the wheel, theophany, thought control, thrall, thralldom, timing, tone down, top spot, totem, tranquillity, trial, trial and error, trying, tune down, tutelar god, tutelary, tyranny, underplay, unexcessiveness, unextravagance, unextremeness, unsubstantiality, upper hand, vassalage, via media, villenage, virtuosity, vision, walking dead man, wandering soul, weaken, wear the pants, weight, whip hand, wield authority, wit, withhold, wizardry, workmanship, wraith, zenith, zombie