conduct

The act or method of controlling or directing.

Noun

  1. The act or method of controlling or directing.
    • There are other restrictions imposed upon the conduct of war, not by the law of nature primarily, but by the laws of war first, and by the law of nature as seconding and ratifying the laws of war. - 1785, William Paley,...
    • the conduct of the state, the administration of its affairs, its policy, and its laws, are for more uncertain - 1843, Henry Brougham, Political Philosophy:

    Synonyms: control guidance management

  2. Skillful guidance or management.
    • If thou wilt ſtay with me renowmed man, / And lead thy thouſand horſe with my conduct, / Beſides thy ſhare of this Egyptian prize, / Thoſe thouſand horſe shall ſweat with martiall ſpoyle / Of conquered kingdomes, and of...
    • 1722 (first printed) Edmund Waller, Poems, &c. written upon several occasions, and to several persons Conduct of armies is a prince's art.
    • […] attacked the Spaniards […] with great impetuosity, but with so little conduct, that his forces were totally routed. - 1769, William Robertson, The History of the Reign of the Emperor Charles V. […], volume (please...

    Synonyms: leadership

  3. Behaviour; the manner of behaving.
    • Good conduct will be rewarded and likewise poor conduct will be punished.
    • when she came to recall the affectionate and natural manner of the young Indian girl, and all the evidences of good faith and sincerity she had seen in her conduct during the familiar intercourse of their journey, she...
    • All these difficulties were increased by the conduct of Shrewsbury. - 1849–1861, Thomas Babington Macaulay, The History of England from the Accession of James the Second, volume (please specify |volume=I to V), London:...

    Synonyms: bearing behavior deportment demeanor

  4. Plot.
    • The book of Job, indeed, in conduct and diction, bears a considerable resemblance to some of his dramas. - c. 1800, Thomas Macaulay, Essays, critical and miscellaneous:

    Synonyms: action plot storyline

  5. Convoy; escort; person who accompanies another.
    • I will be your conduct. - 1598, Beniamin Ionson [i.e., Ben Jonson], “Euery Man in His Humour. A Comœdie. […]”, in The Workes of Beniamin Ionson (First Folio), London: […] Will[iam] Stansby, published 1616, →OCLC,...
    • In my conduct shall your ladies come. - c. 1597 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The First Part of Henry the Fourth, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […]...
  6. Something which carries or conveys anything; a channel; an instrument; a conduit.
    • although thou hast been conduct of my chame - 1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Second Part of Henry the Sixt, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies. […] (First Folio), London:...
  7. A priest hired to hold services without secure title; now a chaplain.
    • […] at this present it is one of the most goodly and uniform Colledges in Europe; wherein is a Master, 60 Fellows, 67 scholars, 4 Conducts, 3 Publique Professours […] besides officers and servants of the foundation,...
    • Cory in 1722 obtained a licence of non-residence from Bishop Fleetwood, his patron, he being at that time one of the conducts, or chaplains, of King’s College. - 1859, William Keatinge Clay, A History of the Parish of...
    • The Rev Charles Mitchell-Innes, Conduct of Eton College, officiated, assisted by Mr Ralph Allwood, Precentor. - 2003 November 8, “Memorial Services”, in The Times:

Origin

From Late Latin conductus (“defense, escort”), from Latin conductus, perfect passive participle of condūcō (“bring together”); see also conduce. Doublet of conduit.

Forms

conducts

Synonyms

abear abearance bearing behavior carriage comportment conduct deportment demeanor guise haviour manner mien

Hyponyms

custom habit practice routine wont wone

Derived

after-conduct certificate of conduct certificate of good conduct code of conduct conduct code conduct disorder conduct money disorderly conduct letter of conduct letter of good conduct letter of safe conduct malconduct misconduct personal conduct safe-conduct safe conduct

Verb

  1. To lead, or guide; to escort.
    • I can conduct you, lady, to a low / But loyal cottage, where you may be safe. - 1634 October 9 (first performance; Gregorian calendar), [John Milton], edited by H[enry] Lawes, A Maske Presented at Ludlow Castle, 1634:...

    Synonyms: accompany escort guide lead steer belead

  2. To lead; to direct; to be in charge of (people or tasks)
    • The commander conducted thousands of troops.
    • to conduct the affairs of a kingdom
    • the Turks, however efficient they may have been in field operations, had little skill as engineers, and no acquaintance with the true principles of conducting a siege - 1855–1858, William H[ickling] Prescott, History of...

    Synonyms: direct lead manage oversee run supervise transact belead

  3. To behave.
    • He conducted himself well.

    Synonyms: act behave carry on

  4. To serve as a medium for conveying; to transmit (heat, light, electricity, etc.)
    • Water and many other liquids do not conduct heat well. Wildland fuels in general, wood, and wood products conduct heat slowly, and so do soil and rocks. - 1975, Clive M. Countryman, Heat-Its Role in Wildland Fire, Part...
    • The metal easily conducts electricity and doesn't rust in water, properties that have made it valuable in uses from household plumbing and electric wiring - 2011 September 20, Matt Day, Tatyana Shumsky, “Copper Falls to...

    Synonyms: carry convey transmit

  5. To direct, as the leader in the performance of a musical composition.
    • For a while, Walter Pohlmann, a well-known German conductor, conducted the orchestra in Compound 3. Later, Willi Mets, who had conducted the world-renowned Leipzig Symphony Orchestra, conducted the Compound 3 orchestra....
  6. To act as a conductor (as of heat, electricity, etc.); to carry.
  7. To carry out (something organized)
    • The world's largest surveyor of deepwater oil fields won a contract to conduct a survey of the French Gulf of Lion to map sand reserves. - 2011 September 11, “Fugro, Royal Philips Electronics: Benelux Equity Preview”,...

Forms

conducts conducting conducted

Derived

conductable conductance conductible conductimetry conduction conductive conductometer conductometry conductot misconduct reconduct superconduct well-reconduct