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conn was our Word of the Day on 07/20/2010. Hear the podcast!
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Examples of conn in a Sentence
there was white-knuckle tension as the captain conned the gunboat through the mine-infested harbor
Did You Know?
In the 19th century, warships (and, later, submarines) began to be built with structures known as "conning towers." These structures were so called because it was from them that an officer could "conn" the vessel. The verb "conn" (also spelled "con") is first known to have appeared in English in the 1600s. It is an alteration of "cond," which is probably an alteration of Middle English "condien" or conduen, meaning "to conduct." Since the 19th century, "conn" has also been used as a noun ("the control exercised by one who conducts or directs the steering of a ship"). This noun, though seldom encountered in general English, is likely familiar to fans of the various Star Trek series in which the directive "You have the conn" is sometimes given from the starship captain to another officer on the bridge.
Origin and Etymology of conn
alteration of cond, probably alteration of Middle English condien, conduen to conduct, from Anglo-French cunduire — more at conduit
First Known Use of conn
1825
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