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   Con·trol

   /kənˈtrōl/

   

   noun

   • 1. the power to influence or direct people's behavior or the course of events: "the whole operation is under the control of a production manager" Similar jurisdictionswaypowerauthoritycommanddominancedominationgovernmentmasteryleadershiprulereignsovereigntysupremacyascendancypredominancehegemonychargemanagementdirectionguidancesupervisionsuperintendenceoversightinfluencerare:prepotenceprepotencyprepollency
   • ▪ the ability to manage a machine, vehicle, or other moving object: "he lost control of his car"
   • ▪ the restriction of an activity, tendency, or phenomenon: "pest control" Similar restraintconstraintlimitationrestrictioncheckcurbbrakereinregulation
   • ▪ the power to restrain something, especially one's own emotions or actions: "give children time to get control of their emotions" Similar self-controlself-restraintrestraintself-commandself-masteryself-disciplineself-possessioncomposurecalmnesscoolnessinformal:coolrare:countenance
   • ▪ a means of limiting or regulating something: "growing controls on local spending"
   • ▪ a switch or other device by which a machine is regulated: "the volume control" Similar switchknobbuttondialhandleleverconsoleinstrument paneldashboardinformal:dash
   • ▪ the place where a particular item is verified: "passport control" Similar headquartersHQbasecenter of operationscommand post
   • ▪ the base from which a system or activity is directed: "communications could be established with central control"
   • ▪ short for control key
   • 2. a group or individual used as a standard of comparison for checking the results of a survey or experiment: "they saw no difference between the cancer patients and the controls" Similar standard of comparisonbenchmarkstandardcheck
   • 3. a member of an intelligence organization who personally directs the activities of a spy: "he sat with his KGB control as the details of his new assignment were explained"
   • 4. a high card that will prevent the opponents from establishing a particular suit: "he has controls in both minor suits"

   verb

   • 1. determine the behavior or supervise the running of: "he was appointed to control the company's marketing strategy" Similar be in charge ofrunbe in control ofmanagedirectadministerheadpreside overhave authority oversupervisesuperintendoverseeguidesteercommandrulegovernleaddominatereign overhold sway overhegemonizebe at the helmbe the bossinformal:head upcall the shotscall the tunebe in the driving seatbe in the saddlerun the showpull the stringsrule the roosthold the purse stringshave someone/something in the palm of one's handhave someone eating out of one's handwear the trousershave someone in one's hip pocket
   • ▪ maintain influence or authority over: "you shouldn't have dogs if you can't control them"
   • ▪ limit the level, intensity, or numbers of: "he had to control his temper" Similar restrainkeep in checkcurbcheckcontainhold backbridlerein inkeep a tight rein onsubduesuppressrepressmasterdamp downinformal:keep a/the lid onlimitrestrictset/impose limits oncurbcapconstraininformal:put the brakes on
   • ▪ remain calm and reasonable despite provocation: "he made an effort to control himself"
   • ▪ regulate (a mechanical or scientific process): "the airflow is controlled by a fan" Similar regulatemodulateadjustaffectdeterminegovern
   • 2. take into account (an extraneous factor that might affect results) when performing an experiment: "no attempt was made to control for variations"
   • ▪ check; verify.

   Word Origin late Middle English (as a verb in the sense ‘check or verify accounts’, especially by referring to a duplicate register): from Anglo-Norman French contreroller ‘keep a copy of a roll of accounts’, from medieval Latin contrarotulare, from contrarotulus ‘copy of a roll’, from contra- ‘against’ + rotulus ‘a roll’. The noun is perhaps via French contrôle.

   Scrabble Points: 9

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