n. [ OE. astrolabie, astrilabe, OF. astrelabe, F. astrolabe, LL. astrolabium, fr. Gr. 'astrola`bon; 'a`stron star + &unr_;, &unr_;, to take. ] 1. (Astron.) An instrument for observing or showing the positions of the stars. It is now disused. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Among the ancients, it was essentially the armillary sphere. A graduated circle with sights, for taking altitudes at sea, was called an astrolabe in the 18th century. It is now superseded by the quadrant and sextant. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A stereographic projection of the sphere on the plane of a great circle, as the equator, or a meridian; a planisphere. Whewell. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A worshiper of the stars. Morley. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Astro- + Gr. &unr_; service, worship: cf. F. astrolâtrie. ] The worship of the stars. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Astro- + lithology. ] The science of aërolites. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ See Astrology. ] 1. One who studies the stars; an astronomer. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

2. One who practices astrology; one who professes to foretell events by the aspects and situation of the stars. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OF. astrologien. ] An astrologer. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } a. [ Gr. 'astrologiko`s. ] Of or pertaining to astrology; professing or practicing astrology. “Astrologic learning.” Hudibras. “Astrological prognostication.” Cudworth. -- As`tro*log"ic*al*ly, adv. [1913 Webster]

v. t. & i. To apply astrology to; to study or practice astrology. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. astrologie, L. astrologia, fr. Gr. 'astrologi`a, fr. 'astrolo`gos astronomer, astrologer; 'asth`r star + lo`gos discourse, le`gein to speak. See Star. ] In its etymological signification, the science of the stars; among the ancients, synonymous with astronomy; subsequently, the art of judging of the influences of the stars upon human affairs, and of foretelling events by their position and aspects. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Astrology was much in vogue during the Middle Ages, and became the parent of modern astronomy, as alchemy did of chemistry. It was divided into two kinds: judicial astrology, which assumed to foretell the fate and acts of nations and individuals, and natural astrology, which undertook to predict events of inanimate nature, such as changes of the weather, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

. (Aëronautics) See Cloche. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. the act or process of deliberately limiting the number of one's children born, especially by preventing conception. Conception may be prevented by ingesting medicines, using barriers such as condoms or spermicides during copulation, or by ligating or removing the reproductive organs.
Syn. -- birth prevention, family planning. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

a. [ Gr. ke`ntron center + le`kiqos yolk of an egg. ] (Biol.) Having the food yolk placed at the center of the ovum, segmentation being either regular or unequal. Balfour. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. An instrument for drawing lines through a point, or lines converging to a center. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. centrum + linea line. ] Converging to a center; -- applied to lines drawn so as to meet in a point or center. [ 1913 Webster ]

. (Aëronautics) A system of control in which a separate manipulation, as of a rudder, may be effected by either of two movements, in different directions, of a single lever, etc. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. & v. See Control. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A controller; a public officer whose duty it is to examine certify accounts. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. contrôle a counter register, contr. fr. contr-rôle; contre (L. contra) + rôle roll, catalogue. See Counter and Roll, and cf. Counterroll. ] 1. A duplicate book, register, or account, kept to correct or check another account or register; a counter register. [ Obs. ] Johnson. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. That which serves to check, restrain, or hinder; restraint. “Speak without control.” Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Power or authority to check or restrain; restraining or regulating influence; superintendence; government; as, children should be under parental control. [ 1913 Webster ]

The House of Commons should exercise a control over all the departments of the executive administration. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Mach.) The complete apparatus used to control a mechanism or machine in operation, as a flying machine in flight; specifically (Aëronautics), the mechanism controlling the rudders and ailerons. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

5. (Climatology) Any of the physical factors determining the climate of any particular place, 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. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

6. (Technology) in research, an object or subject used in an experimental procedure, which is treated identically to the primary subject of the experiment, except for the omission of the specific treatment or conditions whose effect is being investigated. If the control is a group of living organisms, as is common in medical research, it is called the
control group. For most experimental procedures, the results are not considered valid and reliable unless a proper control experiment is performed. There are various types of control used in experimental science, and often several groups of subjects serve as controls, being subjected to different variations of the experimental procedure, or controlling for several variables being tested. When the effects caused by an experimental treatment are not consistent and obvious, statistical analysis of the results is typically used to determine if there are any significant differences between the effects of different experimental conditions. [ PJC ]

7. (Technology) the part of an experimental procedure in which the controls{ 6 } are subjected to the experimental conditions. [ PJC ]

8. the group of technical specialists exercising control by remote communications over a distant operation, such as a space flight; as, the American Mission Control for manned flights is located in Houston. [ PJC ]

Board of control. See under Board. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Controlled p. pr. & vb. n. Controlling. ] [ F. contrôler, fr. contrôle. ] [ Formerly written comptrol and controul. ] 1. To check by a counter register or duplicate account; to prove by counter statements; to confute. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

This report was controlled to be false. Fuller. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To exercise restraining or governing influence over; to check; to counteract; to restrain; to regulate; to govern; to overpower. [ 1913 Webster ]

Give me a staff of honor for mine age,
But not a scepter to control the world. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

I feel my virtue struggling in my soul:
But stronger passion does its power control. Dryden.

3. to assure the validity of an experimental procedure by using a control{ 7 }. [ PJC ]

Syn. -- To restrain; rule; govern; manage; guide; regulate; hinder; direct; check; curb; counteract; subdue. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Capability of being controlled; controllableness. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Capable of being controlled, checked, or restrained; amenable to command. [ 1913 Webster ]

Passion is the drunkeness of the mind, and, therefore, . . . not always controllable by reason. South. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Capability of being controlled. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ From control, v. t.: cf. F. contrôleur. ] 1. One who, or that which, controls or restraines; one who has power or authority to regulate or control; one who governs. [ 1913 Webster ]

The great controller of our fate
Deigned to be man, and lived in low estate. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. An officer appointed to keep a counter register of accounts, or to examine, rectify, or verify accounts. [ More commonly written controller. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Naut.) An iron block, usually bolted to a ship's deck, for controlling the running out of a chain cable. The links of the cable tend to drop into hollows in the block, and thus hold fast until disengaged. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Elec.) Any electric device for controlling a circuit or system; specif.: (a) An electromagnet, excited by the main current, for throwing a regulator magnet into or out of circuit in an automatic device for constant current regulation. (b) A kind of multiple switch for gradually admitting the current to, or shutting it off from, an electric motor; as, a car controller for an electric railway car. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

5. (Mach.) A lever controlling the speed of an engine; -- applied esp. to the lever governing a throttle valve, as of a steam or gasoline engine, esp. on an automobile. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. The office of a controller. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. The power or act of controlling; the state of being restrained; control; restraint; regulation; superintendence. [ 1913 Webster ]

You may do it without controlment. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Opposition; resistance; hostility. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Here have we war for war, and blood for blood,
Controlment for controlment. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Math., Engineering) That branch of Mathematics and Engineering which deals with the design, identification and analysis of systems with a view towards controlling them, i. e., to make them perform specific tasks or make them behave in a desired way. [ GG ]

n. [ Formed from electric in imitation of chandelier. ] A branching frame, often of ornamental design, to support electric illuminating lamps. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Electro- + -logy. ] That branch of physical science which treats of the phenomena of electricity and its properties. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Electro- + Gr. &unr_; a loosing, dissolving, fr. &unr_; to loose, dissolve. ] (Physics & Chem.) The act or process of chemical decomposition, by the action of electricity; as, the electrolysis of silver or nickel for plating; the electrolysis of water. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Electro- + Gr. &unr_; a dissoluble: cf. F. électrolyte. ] (Physics & Chem.) A compound decomposable, or subjected to decomposition, by an electric current.

{ } a. [ Cf. F. électrolytique. ] Pertaining to electrolysis; as, electrolytic action. -- E*lec`tro*lyt"ic*al*ly, adv. [1913 Webster]

a. Capable of being electrolyzed, or decomposed by electricity. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The act or the process of electrolyzing. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Electrolyzed p. pr. & vb. n. Electrolyzing ] [ Cf. F. électrolyser. See Electrolysis. ] 1. To decompose by the direct action of electricity. Faraday. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. [ See Electrolysis. ] To subject to electrolysis. -- E*lec`tro*ly*za"tion n. [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

n. [ Gastro- + -lith. ] (Zool.) See Crab's eyes, under Crab. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr &unr_;; &unr_;, &unr_;, stomach + &unr_; discourse: cf. F. gastrologie. ] The science which treats of the structure and functions of the stomach; a treatise of the stomach. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Pref. in- not + controllable: cf. F. incontrôlable. ] Not controllable; uncontrollable. -- In`con*trol"la*bly, adv. South. [1913 Webster]

(Computers) A programming language used to specify the manner, timing, and other requirements of execution of a task or set of tasks submitted for execution, especially in background, on a multitasking computer; a programming language for controlling job{ 7 } execution. Abbreviated JCL. [ PJC ]

adj. same as automated.
Syn. -- automated. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

a. [ Cf. F. métrologique. ] Of or pertaining to metrology. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. &unr_; measure + -métrologie. ] The science of, or a system of, weights and measures; also, a treatise on the subject. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Natron + -lite: cf. F. natrolithe. ] (Min.) A zeolite occuring in groups of glassy acicular crystals, and in masses which often have a radiated structure. It is a hydrous silicate of alumina and soda. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Chem.) Any one of a series of hydrocarbons containing the nitro and the nitroso or isonitroso group united to the same carbon atom. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ NL., fr. L. nitrum natron + oleum oil. ] (Chem.) Nitroglycerin. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Chem.) Of, derived from, or designating, a nitrol; as, a nitrolic acid. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Patrolled p. pr. & vb. n. Patrolling. ] [ F. patrouiller, O. & Prov. F. patrouiller to paddle, paw about, patrol, fr. patte a paw; cf. D. poot paw, G. pfote, and E. pat, v. ] To go the rounds along a chain of sentinels; to traverse a police district or beat. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To go the rounds of, as a sentry, guard, or policeman; as, to patrol a frontier; to patrol a beat. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. patrouille, OF. patouille. See Patrol, v. i. ] 1. (Mil.) (a) A going of the rounds along the chain of sentinels and between the posts, by a guard, usually consisting of three or four men, to insure greater security from attacks on the outposts. (b) A movement, by a small body of troops beyond the line of outposts, to explore the country and gain intelligence of the enemy's whereabouts. (c) The guard or men who go the rounds for observation; a detachment whose duty it is to patrol. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Any perambulation of a particular line or district to guard it; also, the men thus guarding; as, a customs patrol; a fire patrol. [ 1913 Webster ]

In France there is an army of patrols to secure her fiscal regulations. A. Hamilton. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. See Boy Scout. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. & v. See Patrol, n. & v. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. An individual or a member of a group that patrols an area. [ WordNet 1.5 ]