control

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. v. To exercise authoritative or dominating influence over; direct. See Synonyms at conduct.
2. v. To adjust to a requirement; regulate: controlled trading on the stock market; controls the flow of water.
3. v. To hold in restraint; check: struggled to control my temper.
4. v. To reduce or prevent the spread of: control insects; controlled the fire by dousing it with water.
5. v. To verify or regulate (a scientific experiment) by conducting a parallel experiment or by comparing with another standard.
6. v. To verify (an account, for example) by using a duplicate register for comparison.
7. n. Authority or ability to manage or direct: lost control of the skidding car; the leaders in control of the country.
8. n. One that controls; a controlling agent, device, or organization.
9. n. An instrument or set of instruments used to operate, regulate, or guide a machine or vehicle. Often used in the plural.
10. n. A restraining device, measure, or limit; a curb: a control on prices; price controls.
11. n. A standard of comparison for checking or verifying the results of an experiment.
12. n. An individual or group used as a standard of comparison in a control experiment.
13. n. An intelligence agent who supervises or instructs another agent.
14. n. A spirit presumed to speak or act through a medium.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. A book-register or account kept to correct or check another account or register; a counter-register.
2. n. Check; restraint: as, to speak or act without control; to keep the passions under control.
3. n. . The act or power of keeping under check or in order; power of direction or guidance; authority; regulation; government; command.
4. n. Synonyms Influence, Ascendancy, etc. (see authority), direction, charge, regulation.
5. To check or ascertain the accuracy of, as by a counter-register or double account, or by experiment.
6. To prove by counter-statements; confute; convict.
7. To exercise control over; hold in restraint or check; subject to authority; direct; regulate; govern; dominate.
8. To have superior force or authority over; overpower.
9. Synonyms 3. Rule, Regulate, etc. (see govern), curb, restrain, direct.
10. n. Whatever serves to control or check; particularly, a standard of comparison by which, as in scientific investigation or experiment, inferences or results already obtained are checked.
11. n. A person or persons who control a business, or act as a check on others concerned.
12. n. In spiritualism, the supposed spirit who is alleged to control or direct the action and utterances of a medium.
13. n. In racing with motor-cars or motor-cycles, the authorized persons along the route who observe and record the times of arrival and departure of the cars, maintain the time and rate schedule if there is any, and enforce the regulations of the contest.
14. Of the nature of or used as a control.

Wiktionary

1. v. To exercise influence over, to suggest or dictate the behavior of, oversit.
2. n. Influence or authority over.
3. n. A separate group or subject in an experiment against which the results are compared where the primary variable is low or nonexistence.
4. n. The method and means of governing the performance of any apparatus, machine or system, such as a lever, handle or button.
5. n. restraint or ability to contain one's emotions, or self-control.
6. n. A security mechanism, policy, or procedure that can counter system attack, reduce risks, and resolve vulnerabilities; a safeguard or countermeasure.
7. n. project management A means of monitoring for, and triggering intervenion in, activities that are not going according to plan.
8. n. graphical user interface An interface element that a computer user interacts with, such as a window or a text box.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. obsolete A duplicate book, register, or account, kept to correct or check another account or register; a counter register.
2. n. That which serves to check, restrain, or hinder; restraint.
3. n. Power or authority to check or restrain; restraining or regulating influence; superintendence; government.
4. n. (Mach.), (Aëronautics) The complete apparatus used to control a mechanism or machine in operation, as a flying machine in flight the mechanism controlling the rudders and ailerons.
5. n. (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.
6. n. (Technology) in research, an object or subject used in an experimental procedure, which is treated identically to the primary subject of the experiment, except for the omission of the specific treatment or conditions whose effect is being investigated. If the control is a group of living organisms, as is common in medical research, it is called the control group.
7. n. (Technology) the part of an experimental procedure in which the controls{6} are subjected to the experimental conditions.
8. n. the group of technical specialists exercising control by remote communications over a distant operation, such as a space flight.
9. v. obsolete To check by a counter register or duplicate account; to prove by counter statements; to confute.
10. v. To exercise restraining or governing influence over; to check; to counteract; to restrain; to regulate; to govern; to overpower.
11. v. to assure the validity of an experimental procedure by using a control{7}.

WordNet 3.0

1. v. exercise authoritative control or power over
2. n. a relation of constraint of one entity (thing or person or group) by another
3. v. control (others or oneself) or influence skillfully, usually to one's advantage
4. n. the state that exists when one person or group has power over another
5. n. a spiritual agency that is assumed to assist the medium during a seance
6. v. handle and cause to function
7. v. verify by using a duplicate register for comparison
8. v. check or regulate (a scientific experiment) by conducting a parallel experiment or comparing with another standard
9. v. be careful or certain to do something; make certain of something
10. n. a mechanism that controls the operation of a machine
11. n. (physiology) regulation or maintenance of a function or action or reflex etc
12. v. have a firm understanding or knowledge of; be on top of
13. n. great skillfulness and knowledge of some subject or activity
14. n. discipline in personal and social activities
15. n. the economic policy of controlling or limiting or curbing prices or wages etc.
16. v. lessen the intensity of; temper; hold in restraint; hold or keep within limits
17. n. power to direct or determine
18. n. a standard against which other conditions can be compared in a scientific experiment
19. n. the activity of managing or exerting control over something