control

¹con·trol

verb \kən-ˈtrōl\

con·trolledcon·trol·ling

Definition of CONTROL

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>

— con·trol·la·bil·i·ty \-ˌtrō-lə-ˈbi-lə-tē\ noun

— con·trol·la·ble \-ˈtrō-lə-bəl\ adjective

— con·trol·ment \-ˈtrōl-mənt\ noun

Examples of CONTROL

1. The parents could not control their child.
2. The police controlled the crowd.
3. The small boy could not control the big dog.
4. Her family controls the business.
5. One country controls the whole island.
6. The rebel army now controls nearly half the country.
7. The lights on stage are controlled by this computer.
8. She struggled to control the cart as it rolled before her down the steep, bumpy road.
9. He controlled the volume by turning the radio's knob.
10. A thermostat controls the room's temperature.

Origin of CONTROL

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

First Known Use: 15th century

Related to CONTROL

Synonyms

bridle, check, constrain, contain, curb, govern, hold, inhibit, keep, measure, pull in, regulate, rein (in), restrain, rule, tame

Antonyms

lose

Related Words

bottle (up), choke (back), hold back, mince, muffle, pocket, repress, sink, smother, squelch, stifle, strangle, suppress, swallow; arrest, interrupt, stop; block, hamper, handcuff, hinder, impede, obstruct; gag, muzzle, silence

Near Antonyms

liberate, loose, loosen, unleash; air, express, take out, vent

See Synonym Discussion at conduct

Rhymes with CONTROL

airhole, armhole, atoll, bankroll, beadroll, bedroll, black hole, blackpoll, blowhole, borehole, bunghole, cajole, catchpole, charcoal, chuckhole, condole, console, creole, Creole, dipole, drumroll, dry hole, Dutch roll, egg roll, enroll, ensoul, extol, eyehole, field goal, fishbowl, flagpole, foxhole, funk hole, hard coal, half sole, heart-whole, hellhole, Huichol, inscroll, insole, in whole, keyhole, kneehole, knothole, leaf roll, logroll, loophole, manhole, maypole, midsole, Mongol, outsole, parole, patrol, payroll, peephole, pesthole, pinhole, pistole, pitchpole, porthole, posthole, pothole, redpoll, ridgepole, Sheol, shot hole, sinkhole, ski pole, slipsole, snap roll, sotol, sound hole, spring roll, tadpole, taphole, thumbhole, top-hole, touchhole, unroll, washbowl, weep hole, white hole, wormhole

²control

noun, often attributive

Definition of CONTROL

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

Examples of CONTROL

1. The city wanted local control of education.
2. The tribes fought for control over the territory.
3. He took control of the family farm.
4. She hired an accountant to take control of her money.
5. He lost all muscle control in his left arm.
6. The soccer player showed good control of the ball.
7. a teacher with good control of her students
8. The farmer used an organic pest control on his crops.
9. To cut down on competition, the government passed price controls on prescription drugs.
10. The President wants stricter controls on immigration.

First Known Use of CONTROL

1590

Related to CONTROL

Synonyms

controller, regulator

Antonyms

nonpossession

Related Words

actuator; button, dial, key, knob, lever, push button, selector, switch

Near Antonyms

helplessness, weakness; impotence, impotency, powerlessness

See Synonym Discussion at power

Other Occult Terms

augury, censor, invocation, lucidity, metempsychosis, mojo, numinous, preternatural, weird, wraith