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to control

to control

35 4.1
To keep other factors the same in an experiment
  • verb
  • /kənˈtroʊl/
  • Specialized
: controlar
  • In the lab, scientists must control the temperature to ensure the experiment proceeds accurately.
  • randomized controlled trial
  • controlled trial
  • control for variables

And he controlled because he asked, he controlled for expectancy.

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Examples

  • A much larger sample size would be needed to control for this many covariates.

    Academic text (2011)
  • By learning to regulate breath and controlling your chi, a man is capable of amazing feats.

  • And there are various things that control how fast that happens, right?

  • So it's really important to control the reaction very much early on.

  • What are the mechanisms now that control these background things?

  • System intelligence of this variety is absolutely necessary to enable one operator to control many aircraft.

    Academic text (2011)
  • And these genes control the formation of sperm cells.

  • The dishes were then placed in an incubator that controlled the temperature and the gaseous concentrations.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • Researchers often need to control the variables in their experiments to obtain reliable results.

  • To improve accuracy, it is essential to control the speed of the rotating device during testing.

Synonyms

to check
vsto control
∞ 1.0

Examine something to make sure it is correct or true

serves formal verification in technical settings not just casual inspection
to see
vsto control
∞ 1.0

To check whether something is true or has happened

focuses on formal verification and validation rather than overseeing task completion
to ensure
vsto control
787 2.8

Make sure that something happens or is true

concerns validating and verifying in technical contexts rather than ensuring outcomes
to regulate
vsto control
82 3.7

To control the amount, speed, or way something happens

focuses on validating and verifying results rather than adjusting amounts
to ascertain
vsto control
54 5.7

To find out for sure by checking the facts

aims at formal validation rather than general fact finding

Antonyms

∞ 1.0

Choose not to pay attention to someone or something

106 3.9

Ignore something or someone on purpose

Idioms

459 2.5

Managed so it is calm and not dangerous

Too strong to be stopped or managed

3 5.5

Work continues with little effort because things are steady

To manage money for a household or group and decide how to spend it

Phrasal Verbs

252 3.5

Start to have power and make decisions about something

19 6.1

To get worse very quickly and become hard to control

Keep power over a situation and stay calm

To take control from someone by force or strong effort

to take control
  • Specialized
1 4.1

Connect to and control someone else's computer remotely to fix problems

Compounds

172 2.5

Methods people use to prevent pregnancy and plan when to have children

139 3.3

Laws and rules that control buying, owning, and using guns

A small device you use to control a TV or other machine from a distance

control room
  • Specialized
78 3.4

A room where people watch and control machines like cameras or power equipment

58 3.3

Being able to stop yourself from acting on strong feelings or wants when it is hard

control system
  • Specialized
49 3.9

A system that keeps a machine or process working as it should

control freak
  • Offensive
41 5.8

A person who wants to be in charge of people and tasks

Taking land, buildings, or other property, often by force

Actions to limit the bad effects of a problem, for example to protect a reputation

birth control pill
  • Specialized
34 2.7

A small medicine tablet with hormones a woman takes to prevent pregnancy

Directing vehicles and people so they move safely and smoothly

arms control
  • Formal
31 4.3

Rules that limit a country's weapons and armed forces, often agreed between countries

A place where people watch and direct a group's activities

quality control
  • Specialized
27 3.1

A process that checks and tests products to keep them at the correct standard

control panel
  • Specialized
27 3.4

A flat board with switches and dials that people use to run and check machines

A U.S. government health agency that studies and prevents diseases

20 3.0

A government limit on the highest price stores can charge for goods or services

18 3.4

Actions to keep large groups of people safe and orderly

16 2.6

To stop insects and rodents that harm homes, crops or people's health

Managing how many people live in a place using government policies

An automatic system in a car that keeps a steady speed without pressing the pedal

control tower
  • Specialized
9 3.1

A tall airport building with glass where people watch and direct planes

control panel
  • Specialized
8 3.4

A screen that lets you change settings and manage devices

flood control
  • Specialized
8 3.4

Ways to stop or reduce very high water using dams and barriers

fire control
  • Specialized
6 6.8

To prepare and direct large guns to hit a target in battle

A team that talks to pilots and guides planes during landing

social control
  • Specialized
5 5.3

The ways a group or society uses rules and pressure to make people behave

Rule of a country by soldiers from another country

Line of Control
  • Literature
5 8.1

A military boundary between the Indian and Pakistani parts of Jammu and Kashmir

control experiment
  • Specialized
5 3.8

An experiment that keeps everything the same except one thing to compare results

motor control
  • Specialized
5 4.1

How the brain and nerves make muscles move together

flight control
  • Specialized
5 4.1

A computer system on a plane or drone that automatically keeps it steady and guides it

internal control
  • Specialized
4 4.6

A system in a company that makes sure people follow rules, protects money, and stops stealing and mistakes

control rod
  • Specialized
4 6.7

A metal rod inserted into a nuclear reactor to absorb neutrons and slow the reaction

control board
  • Informal
3 4.1

A flat panel with switches and dials used to operate and check electric equipment

flight control
  • Specialized
3 4.2

People on the ground who guide aircraft by radio while they fly

management control
  • Specialized
3 4.1

Ways a company checks and guides its activities to meet goals

control condition
  • Specialized
3 5.5

A group in an experiment that does not receive the treatment and is used for comparison

riot control
  • Specialized
2 4.6

Ways and tools police use to control large violent crowds

control tower
  • Specialized
2 3.3

A central system that watches and controls many operations in real time

control circuit
  • Specialized
2 4.2

An electrical part that manages how a machine like a motor works by changing electric signals

control stock
  • Specialized
2 6.8

Shares that give some owners the power to make company decisions

control surface
  • Specialized
2 6.6

A movable part on a plane that the pilot moves to steer or keep it steady

birth control device
  • Specialized
2 3.2

Something that stops a person from becoming pregnant

control function
  • Specialized
1 6.1

A feature in a computer program that manages how data are recorded, processed and sent

control stick
  • Specialized
1 5.0

A lever a pilot uses to move a plane up, down, left, and right

damage control
  • Specialized
1 4.1

A quick operation to stop bleeding, keep wounds clean, and make a very badly injured patient stable before full repair

inventory control
  • Specialized
1 3.4

Managing stock to have enough without too much

1 5.6

A bomb you can make explode from far away using a small device you hold

motor control
  • Specialized
1 3.9

The electronics and software that make motors move accurately

fire control system
  • Specialized
1 6.1

A system that finds and aims weapons at military targets on ships or tanks

fire control radar
  • Specialized
1 6.8

A system that uses radio waves to aim and fire weapons at military targets

control key
  • Specialized
1 2.8

A key on a computer keyboard that you press with other keys to do special actions

control character
  • Specialized
1 6.3

A hidden computer symbol used to tell a program how to show or move text

control center
  • Specialized
1 3.4

An app that lets you monitor and control many devices

1 3.9

A set of rules used on the internet to send data reliably between computers

A set of rules that let computers on different networks send data over the Internet

traffic control
  • Specialized
1 4.2

Managing data flow on a network to keep services fast and stable

control account
  • Specialized
1 6.4

An account in the main ledger that shows the total of many smaller accounts to check the totals

crowd control
  • Jargon
1 4.6

Abilities that stop many enemies from moving or acting

control operation
  • Specialized
1 5.8

An action that starts, changes, or stops a device working with data

job control
  • Specialized
1 6.7

A program that prepares and runs groups of scheduled computer tasks

A person who works to make birth control and planning for children more accepted

A person who works to make birth control and family planning easier to get

A way to avoid pregnancy by tracking a woman's periods and avoiding sex on days when she can get pregnant

control grid
  • Specialized
7.9

A metal part inside a vacuum tube that controls the flow of electrons

7.4

A computer character typed with the control key that tells a program to make a new line or tab

flood control
  • Texting
3.3

A system that limits how fast users can send messages or requests

Managing a place to change how people behave

The government does very little and lets people make their own choices

job-control language
  • Specialized
8.2

A set of computer commands that tell an operating system which tasks to run

pussy control
  • Offensive
9.9

Ability to influence others using sexual attraction or gender roles

Actions that police or soldiers take to stop and control a violent crowd during a riot

How Rigorous

to standardize
  • US
13 4.2
to validate
  • Specialized
1 4.5
to control
  • Specialized
35 4.1
to verify
292 3.5
test
∞ 1.0
to check
∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

control infinitive
controlled past
controlled past participle
controlling present participle
controls third person singular

Etymology

Control comes from the idea of checking one list against another, from contra 'against' and roll 'list'. So to control variables in an experiment is to keep them checked and the same so the results are fair.