conduct

plural conducts

1. countableuncountableThe act or method of controlling or directing.

   the conduct of the state, the administration of its affairs, its policy, and its laws, are for more uncertain

   1843, Henry Brougham, Political Philosophy

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   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 Principles of Moral and Political Philosophy

   Synonyms: control, guidance, management

2. countableuncountableSkillful guidance or management.

   1722 (first printed) Edmund Waller, Poems, &c. written upon several occasions, and to several persons Conduct of armies is a prince's art.

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   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 Cities ſackt, […]

   c. 1587–1588 (date written), [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], 2nd edition, part 1, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592, →OCLC; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire; London: Scolar Press, 1973, →ISBN, Act I, scene ii

   […] 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 specify |volume=I to III), London: […] W. and W. Strahan, for W[illiam] Strahan, T[homas] Cadell, […]; and J. Balfour, […], →OCLC

   At the head of that division which had Westminster Bridge for its approach to the scene of action, Lord George Gordon took his post; with Gashford at his right hand, and sundry ruffians, of most unpromising appearance, forming a kind of staff about him. The conduct of a second party, whose route lay by Blackfriars, was entrusted to a committee of management

   1841 February–November, Charles Dickens, “Barnaby Rudge. Chapter 49.”, in Master Humphrey’s Clock, volume III, London: Chapman & Hall, […], →OCLC

   Synonyms: leadership

3. countableuncountableBehaviour; the manner of behaving.

   Good conduct will be rewarded and likewise poor conduct will be punished.

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   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 rejected the idea with the unwillingness of a generous disposition to believe ill of others

   1840, [James Fenimore Cooper], The Pathfinder: Or, The Inland Sea. […], volume (please specify |volume=I or II), Philadelphia, Pa.: Lea and Blanchard, →OCLC

   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: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, →OCLC

   What in the conduct of our life appears / So well designed, so luckily begun, / But when we have our wish, we wish undone?

   1693, Decimus Junius Juvenalis, John Dryden, transl., “[The Satires of Decimus Junius Juvenalis.] The Tenth Satyr”, in The Satires of Decimus Junius Juvenalis. Translated into English Verse. […] Together with the Satires of Aulus Persius Flaccus. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson […], →OCLC

   Synonyms: bearing, behavior, deportment, demeanor

4. countableuncountablePlot.

   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. countableobsoleteuncountableConvoy; 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, (please specify the act number in uppercase Roman numerals, and the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals)

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   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: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene i]

6. archaiccountableuncountableSomething 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: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene iv]

7. countableuncountableAnglicanism; obsolete outside fixed titles; Anglicanism; obsolete outside fixed titlesA priest hired to hold services without secure title; now a chaplain.

   The Rev Charles Mitchell-Innes, Conduct of Eton College, officiated, assisted by Mr Ralph Allwood, Precentor.

   2003 November 8, “Memorial Services”, in The Times

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   […] 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, with many other students, being in all 440.

   1634, “Trinitie Colledge”, in The foundation of the Universitie of Cambridge […] Anno 1634

   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 Waterbeach in the County of Cambridge, page 68

present singular third person conducts · participle present conducting · participle past conducted · past conducted

1. archaictransitiveTo lead, or guide; to escort.

   I can conduct you, lady, to a low / But loyal cottage, where you may be safe.

   Comus

   1634 October 9 (first performance; Gregorian calendar), [John Milton], edited by H[enry] Lawes, A Maske Presented at Ludlow Castle, 1634: […] [Comus], London: […] [Augustine Matthews] for Hvmphrey Robinson, […], published 1637, →OCLC; reprinted as Comus: […] (Dodd, Mead & Company’s Facsimile Reprints of Rare Books; Literature Series; no. I), New York, N.Y.: Dodd, Mead & Company, 1903, →OCLC

   Synonyms: accompany, escort, guide, lead, steer, belead

2. transitiveTo lead; to direct; to be in charge of (people or tasks)

   to conduct the affairs of a kingdom

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   The commander conducted thousands of troops.

   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 the Reign of Philip the Second, King of Spain, volume (please specify |volume=I to III), Boston, Mass.: Phillips, Sampson, and Company, →OCLC

   Synonyms: direct, lead, manage, oversee, run, supervise, transact, belead

3. reflexivetransitiveTo behave.

   He conducted himself well.

   Synonyms: act, behave, carry on

4. transitiveTo 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 2

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   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 2011 Lows”, in Wall Street Journal

   Synonyms: carry, convey, transmit

5. transitiveentertainmentTo 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.

   2006, Michael R. Waters, Mark Long, William Dickens, Lone Star Stalag: German Prisoners of War at Camp Hearne

6. intransitiveTo act as a conductor (as of heat, electricity, etc.); to carry.
7. transitiveTo 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”, in San Francisco Chronicle