conductor

plural conductors · alternative obsolete conductour

1. One who conducts or leads; a guide; a director.

   […]Zeal, the blind conductor of the will;

   1687, [John Dryden], “The Third Part”, in The Hind and the Panther. A Poem, in Three Parts, 2nd edition, London: […] Jacob Tonson […], →OCLC, page 96

2. entertainmentA person who conducts an orchestra, choir or other music ensemble; a professional whose occupation is conducting.
3. transportA person who takes tickets on public transportation and also helps passengers.

   tram conductor

   2 more examples

   train conductor

   "[…] And one of the things that makes me feel safe is when I see the conductor."

   2022 April 6, “Network News: Booze ban continues as part of move to prioritise women's safety”, in RAIL, number 954, page 6

4. natural sciencesSomething that can transmit electricity, heat, light, or sound.

   Falling conductors may come in contact with grounded objects or puddles of water.

   1952, Safety Maintenance

   1 more example

   The failure of HIF detection leads to potential hazard to human beings and potential fire. HIFS are usually caused by falling conductors coming into contact with a surface having poor conductivity.

   1997, Institution of Electrical Engineers, Fourth International Conference on Advances in Power System Control, Operation & Management, 11-13 November 1997, Institution of Electrical Engineers

   Antonyms: dielectric, nonconductor, insulator

5. mathematicsAn ideal of a ring that measures how far it is from being integrally closed

   If c is the conductor ideal for R in R then prime ideals not containing c correspond to localizations yielding discrete valuation rings.

   1988, F van Oystaeyen, Lieven Le Bruyn, Perspectives in ring theory

6. A grooved sound or staff used for directing instruments, such as lithontriptic forceps; a director.
7. architectureA leader.