control

control |k?n?tro¯l|

noun 1 the power to influence or direct people's behavior or the course of events : the whole operation is under the control of a production manager | the situation was slipping out of her control. • the ability to manage a machine or other moving object : he lost control of his car | improve your ball control. • the restriction of an activity, tendency, or phenomenon : pest control. • the power to restrain something, esp. one's own emotions or actions : give children time to get control of their emotions. • (often controls) a means of limiting or regulating something : growing controls on local spending. • a switch or other device by which a machine is regulated : the volume control. • the place where a particular item is verified : passport control. • the base from which a system or activity is directed : communications could be established with central control | mission control. • Bridge a high card that will prevent opponents from establishing a particular suit. • Computing short for control key . 2 Statistics a group or individual used as a standard of comparison for checking the results of a survey or experiment : they saw no difference between the cancer patients and the controls. 3 a member of an intelligence organization who personally directs the activities of a spy.