control

English Online Dictionary. What means control‎? What does control mean?

English

Alternative forms

• (computer key): See Ctrl
• comptrol, comptroll (archaic)
• controll, controul, countrol (obsolete)

Etymology

From Middle English controllen, from Old French contrerole, from Medieval Latin contrārotulum (“a counter-roll or register used to verify accounts”), from Latin contrā (“against, opposite”) + Medieval Latin rotulus, Latin rotula (“roll, a little wheel”), diminutive of rota (“a wheel”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /kənˈtɹəʊl/
• (US) IPA^(key): /kənˈtɹoʊl/
• Rhymes: -əʊl
• Hyphenation: con‧trol

Verb

control (third-person singular simple present controls, present participle controlling, simple past and past participle controlled)

1. (transitive) To exercise influence over; to suggest or dictate the behavior of.

   Synonyms: besteer, bewield, manage, puppeteer, rule
2. (transitive, statistics) (construed with for) To design (an experiment) so that the effects of one or more variables are reduced or eliminated.
3. (transitive, archaic) To verify the accuracy of (something or someone, especially a financial account) by comparison with another account.
4. (transitive, obsolete) To call to account, to take to task, to challenge.
5. (transitive) To hold in check, to curb, to restrain.

Antonyms

• defy, rebel, resist (not to be controlled)
• obey, submit (to be controlled)

Hyponyms

• take control, take the reins, hold the reins

Derived terms

Translations

See also

• regulate

Noun

control (countable and uncountable, plural controls)

1. (countable, uncountable) An influence or authority over something.

2. The method and means of governing the performance of any apparatus, machine or system, such as a lever, handle or button.
3. Restraint or ability to contain one's movements or emotions, or self-control.
4. A security mechanism, policy, or procedure that can counter system attack, reduce risks, and resolve vulnerabilities; a safeguard or countermeasure.
5. (project management) A means of monitoring for, and triggering intervention in, activities that are not going according to plan.
6. A control group or control experiment.
7. A duplicate book, register, or account, kept to correct or check another account or register.
8. (graphical user interface) An interface element that a computer user interacts with, such as a window or a text box.

   Synonym: widget

9. (climatology) Any of the physical factors determining the climate of a place, such 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.
10. (linguistics) A construction in which the understood subject of a given predicate is determined by an expression in context. See control.
11. (spiritualism, parapsychology) A spirit that takes possession of a psychic or medium and allows other spirits to communicate with the living.
12. (cycling, countable) A checkpoint along an audax route.

Hyponyms

Derived terms

Translations

Further reading

• “control”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
• William Dwight Whitney, Benjamin E[li] Smith, editors (1911), “control”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., →OCLC.
• control on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• Control in the Encyclopædia Britannica (11th edition, 1911)

Catalan

Etymology

Borrowed from French contrôle. First attested in 1917.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Central) [kunˈtɾɔl]
• IPA^(key): (Balearic, Valencia) [konˈtɾɔl]

Noun

control m (plural controls)

1. control
2. check, inspection
3. checkpoint
4. influence, authority

Derived terms

• controlar
• control de qualitat
• telecontrol

References

Further reading

• “control” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.
• “control” in Diccionari normatiu valencià, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua.
• “control” in Diccionari català-valencià-balear, Antoni Maria Alcover and Francesc de Borja Moll, 1962.

Portuguese

Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from English control. The established pronunciation reflects a widespread mispronunciation of the English word. Doublet of controle and controlo.

Pronunciation

• Hyphenation: con‧trol

Noun

control m (plural controls)

1. the control key on a computer keyboard

Derived terms

• control C control V

Romanian

Etymology

Borrowed from French contrôle.

Pronunciation

Noun

control n (plural controale)

1. control

Declension

Spanish

Etymology

Borrowed from French contrôle.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /konˈtɾol/ [kõn̪ˈt̪ɾol]
• Rhymes: -ol
• Syllabification: con‧trol

Noun

control m (plural controles)

1. control, or running of a business
2. control of a machine

   Synonyms: control remoto, mando, mando a distancia, telemando

3. control or emotional restraint, self-control
4. (Latin America) remote control

   Synonyms: control remoto, mando, mando a distancia

5. (video games, Latin America) controller, gamepad, joypad

   Synonym: mando

6. (medicine) checkup

   Synonym: chequeo

Derived terms

Related terms

Further reading

• “control”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 2024 December 10