conductorn.
/kənˈdʌktə/, U.S. /kənˈdəktər/ I. A person, etc. that conducts, leads, guides, etc.† 2. One who conveys or carries goods, a carrier.
1. † b. One who brings or procures, a bringer. Obsolete. rare.
a. One who leads, guides, or escorts; a leader, guide (literal and figurative).
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society > authority > control > person in control > [noun] > one who guides
ruddereOE
guyour13..
lodesmanc1300
guya1375
guidec1385
conduct1423
wisserc1440
guiderc1450
conductor1481
convoyer1488
godfather?1541
pilota1560
compeller1587
godmother1593
prefect1608
Mercurialist1635
society > travel > aspects of travel > guidance in travel > [noun] > one who guides or leads
way-witterc1275
leadera1300
lodesmanc1300
predecessora1325
guide1362
duistre1393
conduct1423
way-leaderc1450
guiderc1475
conductor1481
leadsmanc1510
janissary1565
Palinurus1567
forerunner1576
convoy1581
mercury1592
pilota1635
accompanier1753
runner1867
1481 W. Caxton tr. Siege & Conqueste Jerusalem (1893) li. (heading) Faynyng to be a trewe conduytour and guyde.
1526 W. Bonde Pylgrimage of Perfection sig. Tiiv The sterr of grace, as our chefe conductor & gouernar.
c1528 Everyman (1961) 590 O raunsomer and redemer, Of all the worlde hope and conduyter.
1632 J. Hayward tr. G. F. Biondi Eromena 37 The conductors-backe of the she-slave.
1684 J. Bunyan Pilgrim's Progress 2nd Pt. ii. 144 Pray do you go along with us, I will be your Conductor . View more context for this quotation
1774 O. Goldsmith Hist. Earth IV. 274 The elephant's conductor is usually mounted upon its neck.
1836 C. Dickens Sketches by Boz 1st Ser. I. 111 Following our Conductor..we arrived at a small room.
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1681 J. Crowne Henry VI i. iii. 37 Thou hast been conductor of my shame.
c. One who introduces.
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the world > movement > transference > bringing > [noun] > one who
bringera1400
conductor1802
1802 Ann. Reg. 176 The persons intrusted to swear others, or, in the phrase of society, to initiate them, were termed conductors.
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society > travel > transport > transport or conveyance in a vehicle > transport of goods in a vehicle > [noun] > conveyor of goods by vehicle
carriera1395
common carrier1465
loader1476
conductora1533
procaccio1648
shipper1840
transport-rider1850
freighter1872
a1533 Ld. Berners tr. Arthur of Brytayn (?1560) xxvi. sig. Diiiv They toke al the stuffe & dyd bette and intrete theym that were conductours therof.
1622 G. de Malynes Consuetudo 148 Goods and merchandises sent by land..by the Conductors or Carriers to Venice, Frankford, or any other places.
3. Military.
a. ‘An assistant to a commissary of military stores, to conduct depôts or magazines from one place to another’ (Crabb); originally, a driver of artillery or ammunition wagons; see also quot. 1778.
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society > armed hostility > warrior > others concerned with military affairs > [noun] > conductor of supplies
conductor1650
1650 R. Elton Compl. Body Art Mil. (1668) 224 The Commissioner that hath the charge..hath for his assistence 24 Conductors or more, according to the number of Waggons, each mounted and armed.
1661 J. B. Brief Instr. Exercises Cavalry in N. Barriffe Mil. Discipline 19 A Principal Conductor for the Artillery for draught Horses and Ammunition.
1745 Gentleman's Mag. May 249/2 Artillery..Wounded. 1 Conductor, 2 Serjeants, 1 Corporal.
1778 Milit. Dict. Conductors are assistants given to the commissary of the stores, to receive or deliver out stores to the army, to attend at the magazines by turns, when in Garrison, and to look after the ammunition waggons when in the field.
1808 Duke of Wellington Dispatches (1837) 8 Aug. IV. 71 One clerk of stores who is also Paymaster, and five conductors of stores.
b. By Royal Warrant of 11th January, 1879, Conductors of Supplies and Conductors of Stores were raised to the rank of ‘Warrant Officers’; they are now employed in the general duties of the Detachment to which they belong, much in the same way as a Subaltern Officer is.
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society > armed hostility > warrior > soldier > leader or commander > officer according to function > [noun] > officer in charge of stores
storekeeper1618
munitioner1632
sub-conductor1778
storeman1859
storeholder1869
conductor1879
1879 Queen's Regulations, Duties of Conductors ⁋4 §7 Conductors of the Army Service corps and Ordnance Store corps will supply the place of subaltern officers when required, but they will not sit as members of Courts of Inquiry or on Regimental boards.
II. A commander, director, manager.† 4. A commander, leader (esp. military or naval). Obsolete. See conduct v. 4.
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society > armed hostility > warrior > soldier > leader or commander > [noun]
heretogac900
marshal1258
chevetaine1297
chieftainc1330
arrayerc1370
governora1382
master of (the) chivalrya1382
leadera1387
war-headlinga1400
emperorc1400
captain1450
conductor1483
grand captain1531
commendador1580
lodesman1581
conducta1592
commander1598
induperator1599
war-captain1610
war-chief1610
war-leader1610
most mastera1616
commandant1687
commandant-general1827
baron1919
1483 W. Caxton tr. J. de Voragine Golden Legende 201/1 Duc and conduytour of thoste.
1490 Caxton's Blanchardyn & Eglantine (1962) 158 Men of armes..Of the whiche ben conducters & chieff rulers, the kyng of fryse, etc.
a1500 (?c1450) Merlin xxii. 392 A goode conditour that sette light by theire enmyes.
1555 R. Eden tr. Peter Martyr of Angleria Decades of Newe Worlde ii. ii. f. 59 Lupus Olanus the conductor of one of the shippes of Nicuesa.
1590 J. Smythe Certain Disc. Weapons 46 Archers on horseback under their Captaines or conductours.
1624 A. Darcie tr. Originall of Idolatries iii. 12 Iephta Iudge, and Conductor of the Israelites.
1647 N. Bacon Hist. Disc. Govt. lxv. 222 They came in a warlike manner, under one conducter whom they called a King.
1864 J. F. Kirk Hist. Charles the Bold (U.S. ed.) II. iv. iii. 420 The ‘conductors’ or commanders of companies, received their commissions from the duke.
5. One who conducts or manages (a business, undertaking, journal, etc.); see conduct v. 6.
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society > authority > control > person in control > [noun] > manager or administrator
purveyora1387
provisora1393
controller1422
administrator1440
administera1443
administrant1602
admin1629
conductor1634
dispensatora1649
dispenser1654
manager1682
mesnagier1693
prepositor1698
wielder1723
administrador1803
policeman1806
administrative1813
manipulator1823
runner1893
case manager1969
the world > action or operation > doing > activity or occupation > [noun] > one who engages in an activity or occupation > one who deals with
handler1537
dealer1586
haberdasher1592
manager1598
conductor1634
1634 W. Tirwhyt tr. J. L. G. de Balzac Lett. 28 You precede in the affaires of Europe, by being conductor of the Fortune of France.
1753 T. Smollett Ferdinand Count Fathom II. lviii. 189 One would have imagined he had been conductor to madam Catherina from his cradle.
1790 R. Beatson Naval & Mil. Mem. I. 181 This glorious enterprize, does the conductors of it the greatest honour.
1799 Med. & Physical Jrnl. 1 423 [Letter] To the Conductors of the Medical and Physical Journal.
1843 E. Miall in Nonconformist 3 1 No effort on the part of its conductors, will be wanting to render it an interesting journal.
1854 L. Tomlinson tr. D. F. J. Arago Pop. Lect. Astron. 91 He sent a communication to the conductors of the Berlin Observatory.
6. Music. The director of an orchestra or chorus, who indicates to the performers the rhythm, expression, etc., of the music by motions of a baton or of the hands.Now always distinguished from the leader or player of the principal instrument (usually the first violin) in an orchestra; the two functions were formerly not clearly differentiated. A historical account is given in Grove Dict. Music s.v.
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society > leisure > the arts > music > musician > conductor or leader > [noun] > conductor
manuductor1728
conductor1787
musical director1818
timekeeper1818
music director1839
band-master1858
MD1926
1787 Ann. Reg. 1784–5 App. Chron. 334/1 Conductor, Joah Bates, esq.
1820 in Grove Dict. Music (at cited word) The programmes of the Philharmonic Society (founded 1813) for the first seven years always end with..‘Leader Mr. ——, Pianoforte Mr. ——’..With the second concert of 1820 (March 20) the announcement changes to ‘Leader, Mr. Spagnoletti; Conductor, Mr. Cramer’.
1824 M. R. Mitford Our Village I. 147 Our conductor (to borrow a musical term) is but a little farmer's second son.
1846 Philharm. Soc. Programme (Grove) Conductor, Signor Costa.
7. The official who has charge of the passengers, collects fares, and generally directs the proceedings, on an omnibus, tram-car, or (in U.S.) railroad train (= French conducteur). (The guard on an English railway has similar but less comprehensive functions.)
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society > travel > rail travel > railway worker > [noun] > train-staff > conductor
conductor1832
superintendent1835
society > travel > transport > transport or conveyance in a vehicle > public passenger transport > [noun] > public transport employees > conductor on public transport
conductor1832
1832 Amer. Railroad Jrnl. 1 721 Seat for the conductor.
1837 Penny Mag. 31 Mar. 117 He who hangs behind —— who opens the door and receives the money..is conductor or, in the vulgar tongue, cad.
1839 Eastern Argus (Portland, Maine) 24 Sept. 2/4 One of the conductors of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad.
1856 E. With Railroad Accidents 90 Want of communication between the conductor and the engine driver.
1861 H. Mayhew London Labour (new ed.) III. 345/2 I'm a conductor now, but wouldn't be long behind a 'bus if it wasn't from necessity.
1873 S. Smith Romance of the Rail (N.Y.) 9 Nor will a prudent Conductor leave the depot without the final ‘all aboard’.
1882 E. A. Freeman in Longman's Mag. 1 90 ‘Conductor’ for ‘guard’.
1889 London Gaz. 30 Apr. 2381/1 (Tramway Bye-laws) The conductor of each carriage shall enforce these Bye-laws and Regulations.
1944 Reader's Digest Mar. 17 Engineers, firemen, conductors, trainmen, switchmen.
III. A person who acquires by hiring or tenancy.
8. One who hires; a lessee, farmer, tenant. [Only as Latin.]
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society > trade and finance > buying > hiring or renting > [noun] > hirer
hirer1457
conductor1652
1652 M. Nedham tr. J. Selden Of Dominion of Sea 87 To becom a hirer or Conductor of the Sea.
1706 Phillips's New World of Words (new ed.) Conductor (L.), a Tenant that Rents a House, or Land; an Undertaker of Work for Hire.
1875 E. Poste tr. Gaius Institutionum Iuris Civilis (ed. 2) iii. 423 It is the locator who pays the price and the conductor who performs the service.
1880 J. Muirhead Inst. of Gaius & Rules of Ulpian Digest 538 The locator, in consideration of a fixed reward, certa merces,..agreed to give the conductor the use of a thing, locatio conductio rei.
IV. A thing that conducts, forms a channel, etc.† 10. Surgery. An instrument formerly used in lithotomy as a guide for the introduction of the forceps into the bladder, a gorget. Obsolete.
9.
a. Anything that conducts, leads, or guides; a channel by which water, etc. is conducted.
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the world > the earth > water > rivers and streams > stream > [noun] > channel for conveyance of water
water leatOE
water lade1224
leat1279
watergang1293
sow1316
trough1398
wissinga1400
lanec1420
waterway1431
water leasow1440
watercoursea1450
fleam1523
lead1541
cut1548
aqueducta1552
lake1559
strand1565
race1570
channel1581
watergauge1597
gout1598
server1610
carriage1669
runnel1669
aquage1706
shoot1707
tewel1725
run1761
penstock1763
hulve1764
way-gang1766
culvert1774
flume1784
shute1790
pentrough1793
raceway1793
water carriage1793
carrier1794
conductor1796
water carrier1827
penchute1875
chute1878
by-cut1883
the world > movement > transference > [noun] > conveying or transporting > conveying by a channel or medium > channel or medium of conveyance
carriera1398
conduct1423
conveyance1548
conduita1569
conduit-pipe1581
convoy1599
conveyor1621
conveyancer1624
convoyance1682
conductor1796
efferent1876
1796 J. Morse Amer. Universal Geogr. (new ed.) I. 166 This lake..is supposed to be the source or conductor of one branch of the river Bourbon.
1840 Jrnl. Royal Agric. Soc. 1 iii. 347 The main conductors and large drains.
1852 tr. J. J. Seidel Organ & its Constr. 55 Sometimes..the upper-board contains a number of holes, from which tubes project, into which the pipes are placed..called conductors.
1870 T. Holmes Syst. Surg. (ed. 2) IV. 1045 A staff..to act as a guide or conductor for the knife to enter the bladder.
1882 Pall Mall Gaz. 6 July 6/2 That the Congo will be the chief conductor of trade into the centre of Africa.
b. A medium which transmits or conveys any disease or other condition.
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the world > health and disease > ill health > a disease > production of disease > [noun] > agent or medium
infectiona1398
leavena1400
virusa1400
contagion1603
taint1623
fomes1800
conductor1807
infectant1832
zymin1842
contagium1870
noxa1872
pathogen1880
zyme1882
auto-infectant1887
insult1903
1807 Med. & Physical Jrnl. 17 109 This impurity of the air did not serve as a conductor of contagion.
1878 tr. H. W. von Ziemssen et al. Cycl. Pract. Med. XVII. 26 The non-bleeder women in bleeder families are in fact the most frequent and most efficient ‘conductors’ (Vieli, Grandidier) of hæmophilia.
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1706 in Phillips's New World of Words (new ed.)
1847 J. F. South tr. J. M. Chelius Syst. Surg. II. 572 The gorget, conductor or dilator was then entered on the groove of the staff, the staff drawn back, and the neck of the bladder enlarged with the gorget.
1847 J. F. South tr. J. M. Chelius Syst. Surg. II. 579 The left hand grasped the male conductor and the right carried the female, guided by the male, into the bladder.
11. Physics. A substance having the property of conducting or permitting the passage of heat, electricity, or other form of energy: see conduct v. 9c. Hence good conductor, bad conductor, non-conductor n.
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the world > matter > physics > energy or power of doing work > [noun] > transmission of energy > conduction > that which conducts
conductor1745
the world > matter > physics > electromagnetic radiation > electricity > transmission of electricity, conduction > [noun] > conductor
conductor1745
collector1777
saddle1839
lead1881
neutral1890
N1937
the world > matter > physics > electromagnetic radiation > heat > transmission of heat > [noun] > substance allowing
conductor1806
1745 W. Watson in Philos. Trans. 1744–5 (Royal Soc.) 43 482 note I call non-electrics or Conductors of Electricity those bodies..such as wood, animals living or dead, Metals, etc.
1751 B. Franklin Suppl. Exper. & Observ. Electr. (1753) 95 The terms electric per se, and non-electric, should be laid aside as improper..the terms conductor and non-conductor may supply their place.
1806 W. Henry Epitome Chem. (ed. 4) i. iii. 34 Water is a conductor, though a slow or imperfect one, of caloric.
1812 H. Davy Elements Chem. Philos. 78 Gasses are worse conductors [of heat] than fluids, and fluids than solids.
1873 B. Stewart Conservation of Energy iii. 61 Metal is a conductor, while glass is an insulator, or non-conductor, of electricity.
12.
a. A device or arrangement (e.g. a wire, rod, or the like) for conducting electricity; that part of a cable, etc., by which the electricity is conducted.
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the world > matter > physics > electromagnetic radiation > electricity > transmission of electricity, conduction > [noun] > conductor > device
conductor1742
sub-conductor1887
pigtail1971
1742 J. T. Desaguliers in Philos. Trans. 1739–40 (Royal Soc.) 41 193 I call Conductors those strings, to one end of which the rubb'd Tube is applied.
1742 J. T. Desaguliers in Philos. Trans. 1739–40 (Royal Soc.) 41 206 If a long Non-electrical String be fasten'd to an Electrical per se, and extended to a great distance..all Bodies fasten'd at the End of it will become electrical..This String we have called the Conductor of Electricity.
1863 A. Wynter Subtle Brains 332 The gutta-percha covering, which formed the water-tight envelope to the wire, became so soft that it allowed the conductor to get out of the centre.
1879 G. B. Prescott Speaking Telephone (new ed.) p. iii In 1837, Steinheil discovered..that the earth would serve as a conductor, thereby saving one wire in forming a circuit.
b. The name of certain parts of a frictional electric machine; particularly, of a massive peculiar-shaped piece of brass, insulated and fixed to the stand, for collecting the electricity; often termed the prime conductor.
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the world > matter > physics > electromagnetic radiation > electricity > [noun] > electricity generated by friction > machine generating > part of
prime conductor1751
1751 B. Franklin Exper. & Observ. Electr. 59 I have a large prime conductor made of several thin sheets of Fuller's pasteboard.
1880 J. E. H. Gordon Physical Treat. Electr. & Magn. (1883) I. 9 On turning the handle [of the friction machine], the conductor becomes highly charged with positive electricity.
1882 H. Watts Dict. Chem. II. 379 On turning the cylinder, the glass acquires positive electricity, the cushion and the brass conductor attached to it negative electricity, and the positive charge of the glass is transferred to the prime conductor.
c. Short for lightning conductor n. at lightning n. and adj. Compounds 3: a pointed metallic rod fixed to the summit of a building (or the mast of a ship) as a defence against lightning, to conduct the atmospheric electricity away into the earth (or sea); a lightning-rod.
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the world > matter > physics > electromagnetic radiation > electricity > transmission of electricity, conduction > conduction to earth > [noun] > lightning conductor
conductor1761
Franklin1818
counterpoise1930
1761 E. Kinnersley Let. 12 Mar. in B. Franklin Exper. Electricity (1769) 394 The lightning..had passed through the iron conductor which he had provided for the security of his house.
1764 in N. F. Moore Hist. Sketch Columbia Coll. (1846) 49 Ordered, that a conductor be fixed to the cupola of the college, as a security against lightning.
1771 J. L. Winn in Philos. Trans. 1770 (Royal Soc.) 60 188 An account of the appearance of Lightning on a Conductor.
1822 Ld. Byron Let. 9 Dec. (1980) X. 52 The Conductor (Franklin's) of my house was struck..by a thunderbolt.
1884 W. L. Carpenter Energy in Nature 95 Care should be taken..that their lower ends lead into damp ground; the neglect of this..will make the best-laid conductor practically useless.
d. conductor rail n. in electric traction, the metallic rail through which the current transmits motive power to the moving car.
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the world > matter > physics > electromagnetic radiation > electricity > transmission of electricity, conduction > conductor used in transport > [noun]
stud1888
conductor rail1900
society > travel > rail travel > railway system or organization > [noun] > track > types of rail > conductor rail on electric railway
trolley-rail1898
conductor rail1900
middle rail?1905
1900 Daily News 21 May 10/3 The electric contact obtained by a conductor-rail on either of the outward sides of the track.
1903 Westm. Gaz. 30 Mar. 6/2 The new motor-cars on the Central London Railway are dependent on the current supplied to them by the conductor rail.
1940 Chambers's Techn. Dict. 189/1 Conductor-rail ramp, a sloping contact-surface at the beginning and end of a section of conductor-rail; it serves for leading the collector~shoe of the train smoothly on to and off the rail.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1891; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
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