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 all synonyms and antonyms

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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